


Sierra Shepard

by NilioJ13



Series: G. Shepard [3]
Category: Halo, Mass Effect
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-01
Updated: 2015-10-25
Packaged: 2018-02-11 07:54:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 36
Words: 63,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2060115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NilioJ13/pseuds/NilioJ13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A strange event brings Georgia's son back seconds after his disappearance, but several decades older, in time to face a threat no one could have predicted. *Weekly/Fortnightly Updates*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Here We Go Again.

Chapter 1: Here We Go Again.

Samara, Falare, and Morinth were in the Starboard Observation deck, all three were supposed to be finding peace, but their attention was elsewhere, Samara in particular was thinking about an intimate moment with her goddess. She had thought that her centuries of celibacy were in service to the goddess, but one amazing night had changed her view on her religion. The one thing she knew for sure now, was that the new Justicar order would follow her goddess' exact instructions and desires.

Samara's meditation was broken by a ship-wide alarm, and the sound of yelling from above.

"What's going on mother?" Falare asked, completely panic stricken.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," EDI said over the speakers, "but the Protheans are attacking Earth."

"But the Protheans are extinct!" Morinth snarled.

"It seems that a contingent went into hiding, Georgia has ordered us to the Citadel" EDI stated, opening the door for them. "For safety I'd advise moving away from the windows."

"Where is Georgia?" Samara asked as she led her daughters from the room.

"Still on Earth" EDI said as the Normandy took off, flying quickly away from the planet's surface.

"We need to save her!" Falare yelled, Samara pulled her daughter closer to Morinth and pushed them into chairs in the mess hall.

"Stay here, I'm going up to the bridge. Try not to blow your new secret" Samara scalded her daughters as she hurried to the lift.

"We may be immature, but we're not stupid mother!" Morinth yelled back, making Falare pull her closer. "We'll save our feelings for later," she whispered to Falare, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

Since their intimate time with Georgia, they had been exploring the limits of their sisterly love, Falare even managed to convince Ash into joining them, praying on her own love for her sisters. But Ash remained a virgin, as she still valued her Christian upbringing.

"Save it!" Ash snapped, walking past them, slapping Morinth on the back of her head, and kissing Falare on the cheek. Falare purred and Morinth snarled. "We'll have some fun later, but please focus." Ash added as she joined them, sitting on Falare's left, this idea made Morinth shift from a snarl to a soft purr.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"WARNING: Prothean ship on intercept trajectory" EDI stated as Samara and Liara strode on to the bridge.

"I don't understand why they are after us?" Liara asked quickly, striding back and forth across the door. "And what happened to them being extinct, except for Javik."

"It seems they were in hiding" EDI replied as she piloted the ship out of range of the Prothean's weaponry. "Multiple contacts incoming, all matching Prothean markings."

"It seems they know who we are" Samara stated, as they closed in on the Relay. "Can we contact Georgia or the Citadel?"

"Georgia is alright, she'll make her own way to the Citadel, and I've been hailing the Citadel, with no response." EDI stated.

"Why attack Earth?" Liara asked, "why not…"

"Basic knowledge shows its significance in the war against the Reapers, its improved strength since the war's end, and…" Samara interrupted, before EDI interrupted her.

"All old Council home worlds have one capital ship and multiple destroyers over their primary city" EDI quickly stated. "But Earth is the only planet they've attacked. Georgia and Miranda's house has been completely levelled."

"I liked that house" Liara mused as Ashley hurried into the room and they jumped through the Relay.

"Everyone is accounted for except for Georgia, Miranda and John III." Ash stated as the door closed behind her. "Sha'ira is looking after Jaina and James."

"Where's John III?" Samara immediately asked.

"Gone, he vanished from Miranda's arms when we were running on board" Liara said quickly. "Then Georgia sensed something in the house, so they ran back."

"I've told the Citadel to close up after us" EDI stated as they appeared in the Citadel system, and saw the Citadel navies and the Reapers, moving inside the ward arms.

"It's closing a lot quicker than usual, we need to increase our speed or we'll be locked out." Liara stated, realising their situation. "Or worse… Crushed."

"Increasing speed, hold on to something" EDI stated, and Liara, Ashley and Samara grabbed on to the walls, as the ship lurched forward, increasing its speed toward the Citadel.

"This'll be close" Samara said as they drew closer, the ward arms now meters from closing up.

"Prothean ships have entered the system" EDI stated.

"They followed us!" Liara said, sounding terrified.

"Won't matter if we make it inside" Samara said, gritting her teeth as they flew into the Citadel's closing arms.

As the Normandy flew into the arms, they felt the arms scrape against the dorsal fin and wings. There was a loud bang, as the Citadel arms sealed up behind them, and the Normandy crew breathed a sigh of relief that they hadn't been caught in the arms.

"This is the Normandy, next time; don't do that until we're in range of the ward arms, you nearly crushed us." Ash said over the radio to the Citadel, hearing cheers from the other end, before they heard a loud bang, then the line went quiet.

"What's going on?" Samara asked quickly, fearing the worst.

"Err, the general is having a family moment, best get here as soon as possible, and bring her other children" Joker said quietly several minutes later, before hanging up.

"What on earth does that mean, 'bring her  _other_  children'?" Ash asked, but Samara had her mind focused on the situation.

"I'll go!" Samara said quickly. "I'll take James and Jaina to Georgia."

"EDI go with her" Liara stated as Samara moved past her, toward the lift. "I get the feeling you'll be needed."

"Of course Liara, I'll wait until Samara comes back this way to accompany her." EDI said as she got up and moved to the airlock. "Might I suggest Ash come with us? We'd be best to have a biotic expert, tech expert and weapons expert in case of trouble."

"Does Georgia have that?" Ash asked quickly, pulling a pistol from under the pilot's chair.

"She alone covers all three, but she has Miranda as biotic, and I'm guessing that she'll have a military advisor with her and the Admirals." EDI stated.

"Can't you access the security feeds?" Liara asked quickly, seemingly concerned by the situation.

"Isolated system, specifically designed to be un-hackable by any person or AI in the galaxy, plus we'd face criminal charges for breaking into the system" Ash stated as she and EDI stood by the airlock.

"We'll be fine" Samara said smiling, holding Jaina and James in her arms, both fast asleep. "Let's get going."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Samara, Ashley and EDI walked out of the Normandy and headed for the Council chambers, with Samara holding James and Jaina in her arms.

"So, you two may become mother and daughter soon" EDI said after a few minutes of walking in silence. "Or are you and Falare not thinking that far ahead?"

"It's a possibility, we do really love each other" Ash replied, they stepped into the lift and waited until the doors closed before speaking again.

"You have my blessing" Samara stated coolly, and Ash blushed. "Although I believe that your matrimony may make Morinth jealous. She will see it as you stealing her 'toy'."

"Well I don't mind" Ash smiled. "But aren't you concerned by their increasingly frequent incestuous acts?"

"I'm just happy Morinth is narrowing down her feelings to one or two people" Samara smiled. "And they will eventually get bored and stop their incest, before moving on to other people. Falare has found you, and Morinth will find someone in time." The lift doors opened and they were met by two heavily armed Krogan.

"We're with General Shepard, we were asked by Grand Admiral Moreau to bring the General's children to her." EDI stated, the left Krogan turned and spoke into his radio, whilst the other pointed his shotgun at them.

"It doesn't take three people to bring two infants" he said gruffly.

"We heard that there may be trouble in the war room, so we're here as back-up" Ash stated, making the Krogan lower his shotgun.

"Trouble? Huh" he chuckled. "Some seven foot tall human in green armour bursts out of a pod in the middle of a tense war room, with 'Protheans' outside the Citadel arms, intent on extermination. I'd say that counts as trouble."

"They're clear" the other Krogan stated, "follow me." He walked them away, whilst his friend remained by the lift.

"Was your friend serious about the green guy appearing in the war room?" Samara asked as they passed more heavily armed guards.

"My brother wasn't lying" The Krogan grunted. "What's that old human expression? 'Little green men from Mars'?" He laughed at the idea. "This guy isn't so little. Seven foot tall, completely covered in armour, with strange weapons on his back, and muscles to rival my kind."

"You sound in awe of this intruder?" Ash smiled.

"It's hard not to admire his balls. He burst out in the middle of the Admiral's war room, when tensions were at their highest." The Krogan said, before stopping at a thick metal door. "Go inside."

He pressed a button and the door slid open, before they stepped inside, with the door closing behind them. They immediately walked into the group of admirals and Hackett, who were talking amongst themselves, as well as occasionally looking over at Georgia, Miranda and Garrus talking to the figure in green armour.

"Glad you could make it" Joker said quickly, turning to greet them. "Things have gotten weird in here."

"How?" Ash asked, and Joker subtly pointed to the armoured figure.

"Him" Joker said quietly. "He appeared from that pod, representing a human organisation that doesn't exist, and keeps mentioning things, people and places that don't exist."

"Plus he claimed to be the Shepards' son" the Asari admiral said, turning to face them.

"You may need to start from the beginning, and tell us everything that happened, since the pod opened." Samara sighed, Hackett walked over and began to retell the past half hour.


	2. My Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Galactic hero mother, meet your galactic hero son from another universe

Chapter 2: My Hero.

The capsule made a loud bang and all eyes turned to face it. Another bang and the smooth metal surface suffered a bulge, where something had punched it. Georgia, flanked by Garrus and Miranda stepped forward. Miranda flared her biotics, Garrus pulled an assault rifle out from under the war table and Georgia activated her tech armour, as another two bulges appeared on the capsule's front.

"Everyone stay back" Garrus ordered, as the capsule seemed to break in two, before the front fell forward and steam billowed out.

"This is General Georgia Shepard of the Human Systems Alliance, representing the Galactic Council. I hereby order you to state your name, rank and intention!" Georgia commanded to the steam, feeling slightly silly until an armour clad figure stepped out.

The figure was seven foot tall, clad completely in green armour and an orange visor, he strode forward until he was directly in front of Georgia, before he saluted and spoke.

"Sir, Spartan John Sierra 117 of the United Nations Space Command. Reporting for duty." The figure said before standing at ease and leaning forward to speak so only Georgia could hear, "Hello mom."

Georgia lowered her weapon, completely stunned, Miranda was also speechless from this reveal, whilst Garrus kept his rifle trained on the Spartan's chest.

"John?" Georgia asked slowly, after a few minutes of silence.

"Yes" He replied, "John Shepard III." He looked from Georgia to Miranda, before speaking again. "It has been a long time since I saw you."

"Where have you been?" Georgia asked quickly.

"Somewhere distant, fighting the Covenant, the Flood and the Elites" John stated resolutely, "protecting Earth from these threats."

"None of those things exist" Garrus stated. "Or, at the very least, I've never heard of them."

"I think we may be dealing with alternate realities or worlds, a parallel galaxy, with a completely different history to our own." Georgia stated, but Miranda was still struggling to come to terms with the idea of this towering figure being her recently disappeared infant son.

"Name your siblings" Miranda said, disbelieving that her son was standing before her.

"James David and Jaina Hannah Shepard" the Spartan said, clearly happy to say his brother and sister's names. "I realise this seems bizarre and impossible, it took me years to understand it fully myself, but it has been several decades for me."

"And less than an hour for us" Georgia breathed. "Why did you vanish from Miranda's arms?"

"I do not know why, or how, but I am back!" John stated. At this Miranda hugged the armour-clad man and fought back the urge to cry.

"John" she breathed, Georgia put her hand on Miranda's back and caressed her gently. It took a moment before he hugged her back, wrapping one arm around her, and holding her close to him.

"Hello mom, I missed you" John said softly, looking into Miranda's eyes, as she looked up into his visor.

"Err, not to interrupt your potentially tender moment" Joker shouted from across the room, "but you've got visitors." Georgia turned and saw Samara, Ashley and EDI, with her other children.

"Samara, could you bring my children here please" Miranda yelled, Samara bowed and brought James and Jaina over to their mothers. "Hey you two; say hello to your baby brother," she cooed to her babies, who smiled at their mother, but were afraid of John's armour.

"I don't think he's their baby brother anymore" Samara chuckled. "So this is John? All grown up."

"He may be older than them physically, but he's still the youngest of my children here" Georgia said, tapping her left breast, and Miranda nodded in agreement. "And it's definitely him Samara; I know it in my heart."

John looked down at them, seemingly frozen by seeing them, he cautiously lifted his hand and held it out for James, who cautiously reached out and held his armoured finger.

"Hello" John said softly, watching his infant brother hold on to his finger.

"How much do you remember from before you disappeared from Miranda's arms?" Samara asked, eyeing the green armoured man.

"I used to get flashes, images and sounds, nothing solid" John said, seeming to switch his attention to Jaina, holding out his right index finger for her to hold, which she did. "I remembered my name, the image of my parents, and that you were out there somewhere, probably looking for me."

"John Shepard III became John, Sierra 117?" Georgia asked quickly, and John nodded.

"Though you're wearing a full-face helmet, you don't seem surprised or suspicious of me, may I ask why?" Samara asked, looking at John's orange visor.

"I remember you, Samara, though I had forgotten your name until mom said it a few moments ago." John replied, occasionally looking down to watch his brother and sister holding his fingers. "I do remember some of the other crew members, especially our nurse."

"Nurse?" Miranda exclaimed. "Do you mean Sha'ira?"

"I remember a woman like Samara caring for us, no names mom, just faces." John chuckled.

"I think Sha'ira would be happy you remembered her," Georgia said softly. "And touched that you consider her your nurse, do you remember her daughter?"

"Yes." He said simply, before an uncomfortable pause set in.

"Can we see your face?" Miranda asked, running her hand over the visor.

"Not here" John said quietly, "in private mom."

"Why?" Georgia asked, but he was rudely interrupted by the admirals.

"Ahem, not to spoil your 'moment' again, but we do have a galactic crisis on our hands." The Asari admiral nearly yelled, clearly annoyed by the distraction.

"Sorry, John come with me" Georgia said, and she led him over to the war council, as Miranda and Samara looked after the two infants.

"What's the situation?" John asked, the admirals looked nervously at Georgia, who simply nodded.

"It's okay, I trust him." She said quickly.

"We've got a capital class ship with multiple destroyers over every home world's capital city, and at least three capital and two dozen destroyers, outside the Citadel arms." Joker said, tapping the table and a hologram of the Citadel appeared, surrounded by flashing red dots. "The total number of enemy ships is over twenty capital ships and roughly six dozen destroyers." Javik slammed his fist into a monitor, shattering its glass screen.

"The tale was a lie!" He snarled, and the admirals backed away from him, Georgia stepped toward him. "The hero of my people was a coward."

"We don't know that!" Georgia said loudly as she stepped toward him. "We don't fully know the circumstances surrounding his survival…"

"But he was a hero to my people!" Javik growled. "A symbol we strived to match."

"It may not be him!" Miranda yelled. "You've seen how different a clone can be compared to the original."

"Agreed." Javik said after a slight pause. "I'm sorry for despairing about the past, I should know that, fear and despair are what they will use," he flexed his shoulders, and stepped closer to the table.

"Have you identified the flagship?" John asked quickly, inspecting the hologram.

"I'm sorry, but who the hell are you?" the Batarian growled. "You burst into a war council, fully armed and capable of killing us all, and now we're supposed to trust you. No offence, but I don't!"

"He's my son!" Georgia snapped, fighting the urge to remove the stubborn admiral from existence. "It's tough to explain, but trust me when I say this is my son."

"Understood Shepard, I certainly trust your judgement." Joker smiled. "Do you people have any ideas?"

"Maybe," John said quietly, but all eyes turned to him.

"Do you have a solution to our problem John?" Georgia asked, getting back to the subject at hand. "We have less than twenty three hours until they level every capital city."

"I don't," John said slowly, reaching behind his helmet and yanking out a small metal plate, before placing it on the table. The hologram flickered and Garrus instinctively aimed his rifle at John's head. "Wait for it." there were a tense few minutes before EDI tilted her head.

"I have detected an AI in that object; it is struggling to interface with the Citadel system." EDI said, she reached over and picked up the small device. John tensed as she inspected it, before she placed it back on the table. "I have done what I can."

As EDI spoke the device lit up, and the image of a naked, blue woman, with data coursing through her skin, appeared beside the hologram of the Citadel.

"Ah, so nice when AIs help each other" the hologram said cheerfully, stretching out, and Georgia noted the data seemed to course through her quicker. "But I'm not denying I'd kill for a body like yours EDI."

"What are you?" Joker asked, the AI looked at him and bowed.

"UNSC AI, Service number CTN 0452-9" She said cheerfully, "you may call me Cortana."


	3. Centerfold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Georgia meets her son's best friend

Chapter 3: Centerfold.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Georgia asked.

"I'm an AI, my name is Cortana." She said brightly, straightening up and flexing her arms, before looking up at John. "I've been the closest thing to a sister and friend to the Chief."

"Chief?" Georgia asked, looking confused at John.

"Master Chief John-117?" Cortana stated, looking between Georgia and John.

"You mean our son?" Miranda corrected her, Cortana looked at the three figures and smiled.

"Aw, you've finally found them" Cortana said softly, walking as close to John as she could. "And what parents you have! You are the son of two war heroes, who each came from very different backgrounds. One is a former member of a criminal military splinter group with severe daddy issues, the other a symbol for the military, and both are attractive females, no wonder you like me so much." Cortana giggled.

"You've got a plan for the situation we're in?" Joker asked, though he was quite happy staring at the naked woman hologram.

"Maybe" Cortana said mischievously, "but I'll need access to your naval statistics, as well as a complete history of your naval battles." EDI tapped the table and a hologram of her body stood beside Cortana.

"I will monitor your activity" EDI stated, her holographic body pacing around Cortana.

"How did an AI get put in an android body?" Cortana asked, as the two AI began circling each other. "And a body of such intricate quality and craftsmanship."

"A well-earned upgrade for my services" EDI said coldly. Cortana tilted her head before stopping.

"One very thorough upgrade, not like anything else you have in your galaxy," Cortana mused, inspecting the deactivated physical body of EDI standing over them.

"I think we can have cyber bitch-fight and discuss upgrades later, right now we need to break this blockade around the Citadel." EDI said looking up at the impatient admirals.

"Correct" the Geth admiral said coldly, watching the two AI closely.

"Well, judging on the strength of the ships you've got inside the ward arms, the positions of their ships, and my intellectual brilliance," Cortana chuckled, but no one shared her amusement. "I'd say you've got a forty-five per cent chance of victory."

"Only forty-five?" Joker said glumly, disappointed by the low odds.

"You sure?" John asked quickly, and Cortana nodded.

"One hundred per cent" Cortana stated simply. "They outnumber and out gun your ships that are still inside the ward arms."

"What if we gathered those outside the arms?" Miranda asked.

"Scanning… The only force that could aid you, are the mechanoid former monstrosities, you call Reapers." Cortana smiled. "They'd improve your chances by twenty five per cent at least."

"Most of them are searching the edges of known space, seeing if there are any more hidden secrets in dark space" Joker stated simply. "There are some inside the arms."

"Could they be summoned?" John asked, inspecting the hologram closely. "Could other reinforcements be called to help?"

"It would take time, the Reapers can be here in just under a day" EDI stated. "For other naval support it would take them less than twelve hours to get here."

"Summon them, we'll have to hold out and try to trap them in a pincer movement," Cortana said grimly.

"And our home worlds?" the Salarian admiral asked, sounding nervous about their potential fate.

"We crush them here and they'll likely retaliate on the home worlds," Javik growled, his fists resting on the table. "Instead of a pincer movement, I'd advise attacking both forces at the same time, so neither can support the other."

"He has a point," Cortana stated, nodding her head slightly.

"Why didn't you think of it?" John asked.

"I was more focused on the Protheans outside this Citadel, to consider the other forces." Cortana seemed to blush at this statement.

"We'll order the Reapers to the Citadel, the other navies to hit and run on the ships orbiting the capital planets" Joker said authoritatively. "Will that work?"

"My calculations say that has a sixty per cent chance of success." EDI stated, to which Cortana nodded in agreement.

"Well, unless anyone has any other ideas, we'll go with the hot, naked… I mean Cortana and Javik's plan." Joker said, blushing at the slip-up.

"I might sir, but I'd say prepare for this plan, mine may not work," Georgia said, thinking about another tactic that would result in far less bloodshed.

"Alright, we'll use their plan, but I want the Normandy leading the charge against the Protheans at our door," Joker said, pointing at the red flashing dots, which indicated the enemy Prothean ships.

"Yes sir" Georgia smiled, saluting Joker, who cringed slightly.

"God that feels weird" Joker breathed.

"Goddess" Samara corrected, her eyes darting between Joker and Georgia.

"Right… Everyone's dismissed. Prepare for battle!" Joker stated, staring intently at the hologram Citadel.

"John, come with us" Georgia said softly to her son.

John picked up Cortana's chip, and followed Georgia, Miranda, Samara, Ashley and EDI from the room, Garrus and the other leaders remained to lead their fleets.

"You seem to be acclimatising to our reality well" Miranda commented as they stood in the lift, Jaina and James giggling at Samara, who was keeping the infant twins amused.

"Well it is not to dissimilar to the one I was in for years" John chuckled, quietly watching his brother and sister giggle at the Asari's strange faces.

"You know we need to hear about what exactly happened" Miranda said, eyeing his green armour suspiciously.

"And find out what made you disappear and reappear, with you living out most of your life in another reality" Georgia added.

"I'm sure there'll be plenty of time for that, after we kick some Prothean ass!" Ash grinned. At that moment Javik caught up with them.

"General, I request permission to join you, on a mission to board the flagship," Javik stated.

"Excuse me?" Miranda said flatly.

"I need to talk to my people, maybe I can reason with them." Javik pleaded.

"You do realise they have ships over every capital world, are threatening extermination and out-gun us by a significant margin?" Ash exclaimed.

"You think that seeing one of their own, who has acclimatised to this cycle, will change their mind?" Georgia stated, knowing his intention almost immediately.

"Yes General. I also feel that you could get us there unnoticed" Javik smiled. "You are a god after all."

"Goddess, and what exactly do you think she'll be able to do?" Samara corrected him, Jaina and James nuzzled in her arms as they walked.

"Get us to the flagship in the blink of an eye." Javik stated, the others stared at him in disbelief. "Time is not on our side, we need to get there as soon as possible in order to save the capital planets."

"He's got a point, plus it might help me understand why I didn't see them coming sooner" Georgia noted as they reached the Normandy airlock. "Plus that was my back-up plan; it's nice to know someone believes I'm actually capable of doing it."

"I believe in you," Samara purred affectionately.

"I think we need to reach a computer terminal, Cortana wants to speak to you" John said as the doors slid open.

"She can plug into the old CIC, but if she tries to take over…" EDI stated. "I will not be held responsible for what I do to defend my original body."

"You have nothing to worry about." John stated.

"Alright, this way" EDI smiled, leading John into the Normandy, followed by Ash, Samara and Miranda.

"General, what's going on?" Samantha said, slowly approaching Georgia as she walked to the cockpit. "Who's the figure in the olive armour?"

"It's complicated, let's just say that I'm glad he's here, and we're going to take the fight to the Protheans!" Georgia smiled, as she sat in the pilot's chair.

"Err, what are you doing?" Samantha asked, as Georgia got comfortable in the pilot's chair. "I know you're brilliant at most things, exceptional at others, but piloting the Normandy isn't one of them."

"Who said anything about piloting?" Georgia chuckled, before tapping the communications panel. "Normandy to Citadel Control, Normandy to Citadel Control, this is General Shepard."

"This is Citadel Control, go ahead general," the voice replied, Georgia knew it instantly that she was talking to an experienced Asari flight controller.

"This is going to sound odd, but could you release my ship, and ignore any odd readings." Georgia asked, as she adjusted into Joker's old pilot chair.

"Is everything okay general?" the woman asked.

"It's nothing to worry about, I'm heading out early. That is all" Georgia said softly.

"Do you need us to open the arms?" the flight controller asked, sounding concerned.

"No, there's a Prothean fleet outside that will blow us all up!" Georgia sighed.

"Could you put Grand Admiral Moreau on the line" Samantha asked, intervening in the increasingly uncomfortable situation.

"One second…" the controller replied.

"Yes Shepard?" Joker's voice answered a moment later. "You do realise we're on the brink of a major shit-storm, right?"

"Yes, so release the docking clamps, and we'll try something to avoid the storm" Georgia chuckled.

"You going to use some mystical power to make them surrender," Joker said in a low voice.

"Something like that, release the Normandy, and don't open the arms" Georgia replied.

"Aye general," Joker said upbeat, moments later she felt the Normandy being released from the magnetic clamps.

"Everyone hold on, I'm not used to flying this ship, and I'm trying something… BIG!" Georgia said over the intercom, as she took the controls, and slowly began to fly the ship away from the hangar.

"Don't scratch the paintwork" EDI said flatly as she walked into the room. "If you'd like I could take over."

"I'll be fine, plus this will be unique" Georgia said, aiming the ship at the tip of the Citadel arms, and increasing their speed. "Hold on to your seats, and pray to Miranda that we survive."

"Carpe Diem!" Sam said quickly, gripping the pilot's chair tightly. "I mean..."

"Seize the Day!" Georgia smiled.


	4. A Thousand Years

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Georgia meets the Prothean Warlord

Chapter 4: A Thousand Years.

Georgia managed to steady the ship as it gained speed, the closed tip approaching rapidly. At the last moment she focused her power on the ship passing through, closing her eyes against the potential disaster, only to open them moments later to see the largest Prothean ship growing bigger with their approach.

"How the…" Samantha breathed.

"I'm the Goddess of the galaxy remember… though that was taxing for me, as this ship is on the edges of our galaxy." Georgia sighed, managing to steady the ship as it approached the Prothean flagship.

"We've not been detected" EDI noted as they flew along the side of the Prothean flagship.

"That's because we're not outside the Citadel" Georgia said, looking around at the dark space that surrounded them. "I doubt they expected to be found out here."

"Where are we?" Samantha asked, as she peered out the window.

"On the edge of the known galaxy, deep in dark space" Georgia said, slowing the Normandy down to dock with the enemy ship. "We're even further out than the Reaper planet."

"What's the plan skipper?" Ash asked brightly, as she returned from the CIC.

"Go in, find the leader, get information out of him, and force him to call of his attack" Georgia summarised, standing up as the ship powered down.

"Who's going with you?" Samantha asked, activating her Omni-tool.

"John, Samara, Javik and myself, everyone else in standby in case we're captured" Georgia stated as she walked toward the CIC.

"You think they won't play fair?" Samantha asked quickly.

"They've got ships over every capital world and the Citadel, plus they've tried to kill me, they clearly aren't being 'fair'." Georgia noted, as she walked into the lift, and turned to face them as the doors slid shut. "Dismissed."

"Aye general" the others said before dispersing.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Half an hour later, John, Samara, Javik and Georgia were standing by the airlock, fully armoured and armed in case of trouble, with Miranda and Samantha waving them off.

"Be careful Geo" Miranda said as she kissed Georgia's helmet. "We don't know what they are capable of."

"I'll be fine, I'm a goddess and have my son and favourite Justicar at my side" Georgia chuckled.

"Sir, I will ensure the general survives, you can count on it." John said, standing to attention and saluting Miranda.

"Please don't do that, it feels weird that my son is saluting me" Miranda breathed.

"Sorry" John said quietly.

"I'm at my goddess' command, I will not fail her" Samara stated.

"I am at my general's command," Javik said simply.

"Well enough chatting lets go meet the neighbours" Georgia said excitedly, opening the airlock and leading the three others out.

"I worry about her sometimes" Samantha commented once Georgia, Samara, Javik and John were out of earshot.

"I always worry, but that's because I'm married to her, and don't want to lose her" Miranda chuckled. "Again..."

"Still, she's with Samara and Javik, they'll look after her. Plus there's the all-grown up son of yours with her, he seems capable." Samantha paused, thinking out her next statement. "Still seems weird that he's technically new-born, yet seven foot tall and a disciplined soldier."

"Indeed; I want to know what happened to him, because I can tell he's haunted by something" Miranda said quietly.

"Maybe it's the childhood trauma of being torn from his mothers," Samantha said cheerfully.

"Maybe, I'll find out when they return, I don't want it to be a lingering issue" Miranda said, slowly leading Samantha back to the CIC, where the rest of the crew were seated, all armed and ready for combat. "But I fear how he came back, and why he disappeared in the first place will linger for some time."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Goddess! This place is like the Collector ship!" Samara commented as they turned a corner, guns ready for trouble. "Although it is not as naturalistic."

"Collector ship?" John asked, covering their rear.

"I'll explain later, basically they were repurposed Protheans, so their ship was also likely to originally be Prothean" Georgia said, as they reached a large set of doors.

"General, if I remember correctly, the bridge is beyond these doors" Javik said, lowering his particle gun, and slowly approaching the door.

"Prepare for trouble, Javik lead the way" Georgia said, falling back to cover their left flank.

Javik hit the panel and the doors creaked open, revealing a central walkway, flanked by sunken rows of Protheans at monitoring stations, at the far end stood a single Prothean, looking out at the twinkling galaxy in the distance. The four slowly approached, with none of the Protheans acknowledging their presence.

"Greetings Human" The lead Prothean said coldly, not turning to face them. "I've been expecting you." They stopped just behind him, guns pointed at him. "I'm rather surprised at how quickly you got here, it is clear that my information was quite incorrect."

"Introductions are clearly in order" Georgia said, her assault rifle pointed at the back of his head.

"Of course, we Protheans share your sense of honour and protocol" the Prothean chuckled, still facing away from them. "You are?"

"I'm General Shepard; these are my companions, Justicar Samara, Sierra 117 and Javik." Georgia said, tilting her head at her crew members, suspecting he could somehow see them.

"Shepard? You are quite the hero in this cycle." The Prothean said with a hint of amusement in his voice. "Another thing we share."

"You know of me?" Georgia asked coldly, not lowering her weapon. "How do you know me?"

"Your cycle is still primitive, and we are able to monitor your 'holonet' and keep up to date with your civilisations," the Prothean said simply. "But you are still technologically behind, compared to the once great Prothean Empire."

"My fellow crew member, Javik, is a fellow Prothean; he survived in cryo-sleep on Horizon." Georgia said, wanting him to face them. "Who are you?"

"I am Grand Warlord Barca, the greatest Prothean to ever live" he said proudly.

"Like Hannibal Barca? The Carthaginian general who terrified the Roman Republic?" Georgia asked, feeling rather proud of her historical knowledge. "He was quite the tactician, but was beaten by Scipio, who had learnt his tactics and how to combat them."

"Same name, but no relation. Though much like him I was beaten by the Reapers when they learnt the Prothean battle strategy." Barca smiled. "Though from what I have learnt, he is a legend of your people, as I was for mine. But I am still alive, whereas your Barca was forced to commit suicide."

"How did you survive your war with the Reapers? How did you exist through this cycle without being discovered by the Council races?" Javik asked, stepping forward to be in line with Georgia, with Samara and John covering their rear. "How did you survive your legendary sacrifice in our war with the Reapers?"

"We were forced into hiding" Barca said lowering his head, but still remaining with his back to them.

"The legend was you died in a glorious battle, was it all a lie?" Javik asked despairingly.

"We survived, at the cost of many, who gave their lives so I could survive. We escaped into dark space." Barca said, his fists clenching as long forgotten emotions resurfaced. "Like you young Javik; we took to cryo-sleep and were asleep longer than we intended. It was only when the Reapers were destroyed in your cycle that we woke from our stasis, and since then we have waited for your people to find peace, before we emerged once more."

"Well, we were at peace, now we're on the brink of war again…" Georgia said angrily. "With you."

"You may remove your helmets; the air is breathable to your physiology." Barca chuckled. "Crew dismissed."

With this the Protheans at the monitoring stations stood up and filed out of the room, leaving them alone.

"Why wait for peace, why not attack whilst we were dealing with the pirates?" Georgia asked, leaving out the involvement of Harbinger and the Leviathan AI.

"Peace makes a culture weak, we knew you'd be no different" Barca chuckled. "I will admit that I was mistaken in believing that. Your cycle is different; you defeated the Reapers and ended their cycles."

"Care to face us, its rude to not look someone in the eye, when you're talking to them" Samara growled, Georgia was caught off by her anger and caught her eye with a confused side glance. "Sorry."

"As you wish 'Justicar'." Barca said, slowly turning, revealing two glowing gold eyes, and the scar across the other two, which sealed them shut.

"You're a god?" Georgia exclaimed, knowing immediately what gold eyes meant, but Warlord Barca laughed and slowly approached her.

"No, like you we found the Reaper planet, but I came away cursed, not blessed" Barca said, he lowered his head at the mention of being cursed.

"Cursed?" John asked, curious about the idea.

"I was deemed not worthy by the AI, but refused to leave empty handed, claimed my honour had been insulted, especially as it had killed my expedition team." Barca said, pacing back and facing the window again. "It cursed me; I can only die an honourable death, and will live forever until then."

"How did I not sense you the moment I became a goddess?" Georgia asked, stepping toward him.

"Because we are far beyond the galaxy you rule over, outside of your jurisdiction if you like" Barca smiled. "We were hidden from you by your own power."

"That doesn't make sense, surely she should be goddess of all existence, not limited by the known galaxy's boundaries" Samara exclaimed.

"Then I do not know, perhaps we were cursed into anonymity by it as well." Barca said flatly. "That cursed planet has landed me second disservice, I was better off not going near it." Georgia could tell he was not being entirely truthful with her, but Samara quickly moved the conversation away from the Reaper planet.

"Do you mean to destroy us if we do not submit to your rule?" Samara asked, stepping up with John to stand behind Georgia, whilst Javik stood level to Barca.

"I'm not sure anymore," he sighed, "Our simultaneous attack on your capital worlds was to test your resolve, and put you at a disadvantage. We needed to understand your strength for ourselves."

"And what have you learnt?" John asked.

"With you surviving our assassination attempt, and then appearing out of nowhere and revealing yourself to be the goddess of the galaxy, I do not favour our chances." Barca admitted. "But I cannot tell my people that we are surrendering. Many are still embittered by losing our war with the Reapers, a second defeat will anger them."

"The galaxy stands united; each race is equal, with only the most primitive, the Yahg, left out of the galactic politics." Georgia said confidently. "I'm sure there's a place for your people in the new galaxy."

"I cannot..." Barca began.

"It is not surrender!" John interrupted. "You are reaching an agreement for the betterment of your people. You have claimed a victory by forcing this drastic move, by forcing my mother to teleport to your base."

"I like your thinking," the Warlord laughed. "You have a warrior's mind. What can you give my people to make them feel it is a victory, not a surrender?"

"You can reclaim the planets that still have infrastructure which can support your people." Georgia smiled.

"Like Ilos" Javik said brightly. "Our people's infrastructure still survives there, and could be re-occupied by our people."

Suddenly Barca turned and touched Georgia on the forehead, closing his eyes, before quickly pulling away.

"You speak the truth?" Barca exclaimed. "And the Reapers are not destroyed, but now allies?"

"With all organics and synthetics merged together, hence the glowing green eyes" Samara noted, pointing at her light green eyes.

"This changes things" Barca stated, walking over to a computer panel.

"You're calling off the attack?" Georgia asked, Barca said nothing. "You'll see it was the right move in the future, your people have waited long enough to… Argh!"

Georgia collapsed to the ground, her eyes snapping shut and her face going pale.

"General!"

"Goddess!"

"Mom!" they each exclaimed, rushing to her side, Barca watched uncertainly.


	5. Odds Are

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things go from bad to worse...

Chapter 5: Odds Are.

John pulled the card from the back of his helmet and tapped it against Georgia's metal wrist; Cortana appeared over the unconscious general moments later.

"Cortana what is wrong with her?" John asked a genuine note of fear in his voice.

"She's mostly intact internally, but has a severe laceration across her torso and is bleeding heavily, both internally and externally, but there is no sign of what's caused it" Cortana said, looking over the general's body. "I like the prosthetics though, very well designed."

"She's bleeding?" Samara nearly cried. She stood up and focused her biotics, gently lifting her off the ground. "Get her back to the ship."

John nodded and carried his unconscious mother from the room, as Samara and Javik were left alone with Barca.

"If a goddess bleeds…" Barca noted.

"Something is seriously wrong" Samara interrupted.

"Vici, anything on the scanners?" Barca asked, moments later a holographic Prothean appeared at the Warlord's side.

"There are multiple strange signatures across the galaxy, with no discernable origin." Vici stated, showing a map of the galaxy, with the signatures highlighted.

"Identify!" Barca barked at the AI.

"Unable to identify, they don't match any known signature" Vici specified. "Incoming communication from the ship called 'Normandy'." Vici vanished and a holographic image of Miranda was standing in front of them instead.

"General, we've got… Where's Geo?" she asked, looking around.

"She collapsed; John is bringing her to you, what's happening?" Samara said quickly.

"Something's happening across the galaxy, the Council demand we return immediately." Miranda said at an equally hurried pace.

"Go, I'll call off the attack, for now" Barca said flatly, pointing to the door. Miranda's hologram faded, and Javik and Samara hurried from the room.

"We'll be in touch" Vici said as they ran, his hologram appearing at their side as they ran. "Warlord Barca has unfinished business with your peoples."

Before they could retort, the hologram vanished.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"EDI get us out of here!" Miranda ordered, as Javik and Samara dashed through the airlock, it closed quickly behind them.

"Yes commander" EDI replied from the pilot's chair.

"How's Georgia?" Samara panted, as she fought to regain her breath.

"She's…" Miranda faltered as her emotions hit in full force, tears streaming down her pale cheeks. "She's still unconscious and bleeding heavily, I don't know what to do." Samantha quickly moved in and hugged her superior, gently caressing her back.

"What happened?" Samantha asked. "What happened before she collapsed?"

"We were discussing a ceasefire, and then suddenly she collapsed." Javik stated.

"Must have something to do with these new signatures" EDI said as she joined their social circle by the airlock. "ETA to the Citadel is twenty four hours. Without the general we're relying on the mass relays."

"Find out what you can about these strange appearances," Miranda said, regaining her composure briefly, before rushing toward the QEC, with Samara in hot pursuit.

"Commander? Where's the General?" Dominic asked when they burst into the QEC.

"Unconscious" Miranda said quickly, not wanting to divulge any more than that. "Not sure when she'll wake up."

"The Prothean ships have retreated from Citadel space, and the capital worlds, but now a new potential threat has emerged" the Asari councillor stated.

"EDI, get John up here" Miranda ordered.

"Yes Commander" EDI replied.

They patiently waited until John strode into the room, quickly placing Cortana's chip into the QEC panel.

"What's the situation?" Cortana asked, standing at the same height as the council members.

Cortana had created an imitation of Miranda's uniform to cover her normally naked form.

"Six vast structures have appeared in different regions of the galaxy, plus unidentified ships near some of the structures" the Salarian councillor said quickly, "do you recognise them?" Cortana paused before looking at the floor.

"What is it?" Miranda asked quickly, "is it what's caused Geo's coma?"

"Probably" Cortana said, shrugging her shoulders. "It seems we're not the only invaders to your reality."

"What!" Osba exclaimed.

"I'm afraid we've brought our troubles with us." Cortana smiled innocently.

"Cortana!" John snapped at the cheeky AI.

"The Covenant!" Cortana said quickly. "The Covenant has followed us across the realities, along with the Halos."

"The what?" Samara asked quickly.

"Vast ring planets that are weapons of mass annihilation" Cortana said, bringing up a holographic image of one. "Each one is capable of decimating all sentient life within twenty-five thousand light-years."

"This information must not leave this group" the Asari councillor said quickly. "The idea of weapons from other realities, and that are more deadly than the Reapers, could cause more problems and upset the fine balance we have worked so hard to maintain."

"Agreed." the Quarian councillor added.

"We must dispatch all navies to fight off this 'Covenant' and capture the 'Halos'." The Turian councillor stated.

"No" Cortana nearly shouted.

"No?" Miranda asked.

"If you want to protect this peace, you need to destroy them and the entire Covenant force, in order to ensure no one can use them" Cortana explained, Miranda smiled at the AI's plan.

"Excellent plan Cortana" John said quickly, in support of the AI's plan.

"Great, how do we destroy weapons that are the size of planets?" the Asari councillor asked, sounding slightly bored.

"The Covenant shouldn't be a problem; your fleets likely outnumber theirs by at least six-to-one." Cortana smiled. "But the Halos will take strike teams to infiltrate them, and spark a system self-destruct or misfire."

"We'll lead the strike teams!" Miranda exclaimed. "The Normandy crew are the most qualified to lead the strikes, and we'll be better suited to strike all six rings at the same time."

"Yes Commander" Samara said, lowering her head slightly.

"Once you've returned to the Citadel, your crew will be divided to lead the six strike teams" Osba stated, the other councillors nodded, and their holograms began to fade out.

"Do we decide the teams, or will you?" Miranda asked, as Samara and John left the room.

"We'll leave it up to you, you of course know your team best" Osba smiled. "I wish the general a speedy recovery."

"Thank you" Miranda smiled, tears welling in her eyes. "Commander Shepard out."

She turned and left the room, heading straight for the med bay, but she bumped into Samara and John, who walked in stride with her.

"But what about the goddess!" Samara pleaded, grabbing Miranda's arm.

"There's little we can do, except destroy what is hurting her," Miranda hissed.

"You sure the Halos are what's hurting her?" John asked.

"I have no doubt," Miranda said with clenched fists. "They appeared, and Geo went into a near fatal coma, they are definitely linked."

"Let us hope that these Halos destruction saves her," Samara said softly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"How is she?" Miranda asked as she burst into the med bay, Tali, Liara and Falare were tending to the comatose Georgia, trying desperately to stem the bleeding.

"We're managing to cycle her blood back into her body, but can't stop the bleeding" Tali said quickly, her clothes were stained red, and her delicate fingers were shaking, also drenched in blood.

"But we're not professional doctors, we NEED Karin and Chloe to take over as soon as possible" Liara added, wiping her hands on a length of paper towel. "Why were they even off the Normandy anyway?"

"Negotiating for more cutting edge equipment for the ship," Falare said weakly. "Poor timing it seems."

"We'll need whatever they can get!" Miranda said through gritted teeth. "We are not losing her now."

"I'm afraid it's a matter of keeping her alive until we reach the Citadel," Liara said grimly.

"I know, EDI says we're going as fast as possible" Miranda smiled, gently patting the three women on the back.

"Do you want a moment alone?" Falare asked in a soft tone, Miranda nodded and the three women washed their hands and filed out the room.


	6. Hurt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miranda reflects with her son

Chapter 6: Hurt.

"Why is it something always keeps forcing us apart?" Miranda asked, slowly walking to the side of Georgia's bed. "Either willing or unwillingly, we're constantly held apart from each other."

"Hey" John said quietly, walking into the med bay and locking the door behind him. "Any change?" Miranda shook her head, fighting back tears. "You okay?"

"I was just musing on why we're constantly pushed apart by different things," Miranda smiled, her fingers clasping Georgia's left hand.

"How so?" John asked, standing on the other side of the bed to Miranda.

"After we took down the Collectors, back at the start of our relationship, Georgia was forced away by the Alliance's hearing, and then the Reaper war kept us apart." Miranda said; her eyes looking at Georgia's sleeping face, as her fingers traced her abdominal scars. "It's funny. Her being comatose like this reminds me of how we first met, I loved her from the moment I laid eyes on her, still not fully rebuilt in the Lazarus project."

"What?" John asked, confused by his mother's tangent. "Tell me about your relationship, from your point of view."

"Well, I was first introduced to her when I was put in charge of rebuilding her after the Collectors destroyed the first Normandy." Miranda smiled, enjoying the chance to retell their relationship to her son.

"She came back from the dead?" John exclaimed, surprised by the revelation.

"Technically she died twice," Miranda chuckled. "Thanks to me she came back both times, although the second time around there were less resources available, hence the metal limbs." She looked up and could tell he was staring at the artificial limbs.

"Please continue" John said quietly, sitting on the neighbouring bed.

"Well, from the moment she was physically rebuilt, but still not whole, I felt strong feelings for her, it's probably why I worked so damn hard to make her physically perfect." Miranda smiled, her eyes looking at her wife's face. "But for some reason I played hard to get, only showing my feelings after she proved herself by helping to save my sister. From then we were an item, but after the Collector base, we went our separate ways, the war forcing our hands."

"How did you survive the separation?" John asked, Miranda noted a slight waiver in his tone.

"We kept in contact when the war truly began, even managing a couple of dates on the old Citadel, which are my fondest memories of her." Miranda replied. "I remember me in a stunning red dress, her choosing her finest dress blues, both looking incredible to behold and like everyone else there, nothing making us stand out. We spent the entire evening just being ourselves, no war, no military duty, just each other, I almost wish it had never ended."

John pulled the card from the back of his helmet and placed it on Georgia's metal arm, her Omni-tool channelled the now orange hologram of Cortana.

"I'm monitoring her vitals commander, and since you mentioned your dates on the Citadel, her heart has sped up slightly" Cortana smiled, Miranda squeezed Georgia's hand affectionately.

"What about after the war?" John interrupted, trying to get the conversation back on track. "What happened between you after the war?"

"Georgia sacrificed herself again, and I brought her back from her near death state" Miranda chuckled. She then quickly gave a brief overview of the past two years of their relationship.

"Sounds like stuff that would tear most apart," Cortana commented. "Going by what I've analysed from your holonet."

"She was worth the trouble to me, I loved her like no one else and was not going to lose her when we were so close to the peace we longed for!" Miranda smiled. "She'd say the same I'm guessing. Maybe after this crisis, we can finally settle down together, I realise the house was destroyed, but there's still the ship and the Citadel apartment."

"Do... do you see us in that future?" Cortana asked nervously, looking from Georgia, to Miranda, to John.

"I'm not sure. If we destroy all the Halos and the Covenant, and Geo doesn't wake, then we'll have no choice but to send you back somehow." Miranda said, her fingers tracing Georgia's abs.

"I do not want to return to that reality, not now that I've finally found you." John said quietly.

Miranda looked up at him, quickly moved around the bed and hugged him tightly, as a mother hugging her son.

"I understand John, but if your presence in this reality is hurting Georgia…" Miranda said softly.

"I know mom" John interrupted. There was a brief pause before Miranda spoke again.

"So, can I see my son without the helmet?" Miranda chuckled, taking a step back. John looked quickly around the room, before striding over to a small panel, and blacking out the viewing windows to give them some privacy.

"Just for you" Cortana smiled as John's hands moved to his helmet.

"EDI, switch off any cameras that aren't solely watching Geo" Miranda said, making John freeze.

"Yes Commander" EDI chimed, before a faint beep signalled the order had been carried out.

"Thanks mom" John said, before lifting his helmet off in one fluid motion, setting it down at Georgia's feet.

"Oh John!" Miranda breathed, stepping forward and reaching out to caress his sole facial scar.

"Not the little boy you remember from a few days ago?" Cortana asked.

Miranda shook her head, before her fingers gently caressed his scar, and John closed his green eyes to her delicate touch.

"What happened to you?" Miranda asked in a hushed tone, her hands running over his buzz-cut black hair. "What turned you into this super-soldier in the alternate reality?"

"Because he was an orphan, he was the perfect specimen for the 'Super Soldier' programme," Cortana said, walking along the edge of the table to stand near them. "Doctor Halsey invented a back story for him, and inducted him into the SPARTAN-II programme."

"I was the perfect choice, I was taller, stronger and had far better agility and intellect, compared to my classmates" John smiled.

"The exact attributes you inherited from us" Miranda smiled up at him. "You got my intellect and cunning, with Geo's strength and physical stature. Of course you'd be the perfect soldier."

"He proved myself a natural leader, and was one of only thirty three out of seventy five to survive the augmentation process" Cortana stated. "But repeated mission successes, with high casualty rates, hardened him to the realities of war."

"But he's still capable of feeling emotions?" Miranda looked at the AI who nodded. "Sounds like my Geo; she survived horrific battles, yet still has her soft side."

Suddenly there was a knock at the door, and John quickly put his helmet back on, Miranda heard it click and hiss into place.

"Come in" Miranda said, unlocking the door. Liara walked in and looked around.

"Everything okay?" she asked brightly, Miranda, Cortana and John all nodded. "Well we've entered Citadel space, your needed up on the bridge."

"Wait... I thought it would take twenty four hours to reach the Citadel, it's barely been a few hours..." Miranda asked, looking at the time on her Omni-tool.

"I know, EDI is stumped" Liara said in disbelief. "For some reason it took not even a quarter of the time she had calculated." Miranda instantly looked at Georgia.

"Even in a coma she's helping us, and still showing she's with us in her own divine way." she smiled, hurrying to her wife's side and kissing her on the forehead. "I love you" she whispered to her unconscious spouse.

"Also Sha'ira was wondering if someone else could take James and Jaina for a while, she says she needs some sleep." Liara added.

"Of course" Miranda smiled, quickly walking out of the room, with John picking up Cortana's chip and following his mother. "I'm sure someone will love to look after them until I return."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After collecting her children from a tired Asari ex-Consort and giving them a quick feed, Miranda stood on the bridge with the babies now in the care of her wife's PA Samantha, and John standing beside her.

"Are you sure I can't convince you to find someone more experienced to look after them?" Samantha asked as they walked toward the airlock.

"Everyone in the crew is needed for this mission, and Sha'ira is exhausted." Miranda smiled. "I'll return shortly, and relieve you of them… But only if you don't warm to them in that time."

"Of course Commander..." Sam stammered. "It still feels weird calling you that."

"Then call me Miranda, no need to be so formal Sam," Miranda chuckled, as the rest of the crew, once again fully armed, lined up behind John.

"That's everyone mission capable commander, all armed and ready for action" Diana reported as she stood beside Samantha.

"And I've just about compiled the six teams, so let's go!" Miranda stated, as she led the crew out of the ship, passing Karin and Chloe, who rushed into the ship, with several ensigns carrying medical equipment.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Commander," Garrus, Zaeed, Grunt, and Kolyat greeted her as she walked into the war room.

"Excellent, we're all here" Miranda smiled, as she turned to face the Council. "Plus, we have a new addition to our roster. It's Shiala, correct? You met Geo back during the first Normandy's days?"

"That's correct Commander. I felt I owed it to the general to help you, like she helped me and Zhu's Hope." Shiala said, stepping forward and saluting Miranda.

"Welcome to the Normandy crew," Miranda smiled, before turning to face the Council. "Are we ready for this?"

"Yes, we've organised our fleets to attack all the rings at the same time, thereby putting this 'Covenant' in a corner" the Turian councillor stated.

"I've decided on the teams, three people to lead each of the fleets" Miranda announced. "Shiala will join one of them as an extra."

"Excellent, please divide your crew, time is of the essence," the Asari councillor stated.

Miranda quickly listed each of the teams, and watched as the crew moved into the groups of three.

"Alright, those teams sound balanced and each capable of the task in hand" the Salarian councillor smiled. "Is the AI going to regale us with how we destroy each ring?" EDI pulled the chip from John's helmet and placed it in her open palm.

"My name is Cortana!" Cortana yelled as she appeared in EDI's hand. "And I've already sent out the necessary information to each team's designated tech expert."

"Alright" the Salarian said defensively, as EDI gave Cortana's chip back to John.

"We've split the fleets into five, we were hoping you'd be able to convince the Protheans to help with the final ring world" the Quarian councillor said cautiously.

"Warlord Barca knows we're a lot stronger than he thought when they first attacked, and it's clear he still longs for battle" Javik smiled. "He won't refuse the chance to fight an unknown, invading enemy."

"I'll go, he apparently has unfinished business with me" Miranda said quickly.

"Team One." Osba said stepping forward, as the three did the same. "Please follow my assistant to your fleet, your being sent to the Halo in the Attican Beta."

And so it continued, Team Five were sent to the Minos Wasteland, Team Four to the Shrike Abyssal, Team Three to Sentry Omega, and Team Two's target was in the Apien Crest.

"That leaves us, and we've got to contact Warlord Barca" Miranda breathed, as the last of Team Two disappeared out of the door.

"Yes, and hence your Halo is in Sigurds Cradle" Osba smiled. "A good meeting point for you."

"Indeed" Cortana agreed.

"Where would Installation 04 have been?" John quickly asked. "Had we not destroyed it in our reality?"

"Exodus Cluster" Cortana answered quickly, expecting such a question from him. "Roughly."

"Well, we'll take the Normandy and head for Sigurds Cradle, wish us luck" Miranda said cheerfully.

"We wish all the best; to you, your teams, and to Georgia." Dominic said, bowing slightly upon mentioning Miranda's comatose wife.

"Thank you Councillor, we will contact you when the task is done" Miranda said, saluting the councillor, who smiled and quickly walked away.

"If I might ask" Samara said as they walked back to the Normandy. "Why wasn't I put with my daughters?"

"I needed each team to be balanced," Miranda smiled innocently. "Plus every mother needs time away from her children."

"Of course commander" Samara smiled.

"Plus I get the feeling you're hiding something from me" Miranda added, Samara instantly knew it was going to be a long flight to the Halo. "And I will find out what on our long flight to Sigurds Cradle."


	7. Seven Nation Army

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Team Six arrive at Installation 07

Chapter 7: Seven Nation Army.

"This was an interesting combination for the commander to choose" Kolyat commented as the three waited on the bridge of a Krogan battleship.

"Indeed, we are very different people, not used to working with each other" Grunt muttered, pacing back and forth, as the ship was catapulted toward the Attican Beta by the Citadel Mass Relay.

"What exactly are we heading towards?" Javik asked over the QEC, the figure of Cortana standing there.

"From the information I downloaded from Installation 04, you're likely to be heading for Installation 07." Cortana stated, summoning a hologram of the ring world. "From what I understand, it's likely to be infested with the parasitic Flood."

"The what?" Grunt asked.

"A parasite race, the reason the Halos were built in the first place" Cortana explained. "So you'll need to conduct bombing runs on the entire surface, before destroying the Halo itself."

"I love a good challenge!" Grunt roared. "And destruction on a massive scale also gets my blood pumping."

"Then this is the right Halo for you, I'd recommend incendiary bombs to properly annihilate the Flood infestation." Cortana smiled at the Krogan's excitement toward obliterating the parasite.

"Have you got any other advice?" Kolyat asked, as they appeared at the edge of the system, the Halo etched against the sunlight.

"Watch your back or you're dead" Cortana said grimly. "The Flood can infest the living, and reanimate the dead to fight against you, so try to destroy everything you leave behind."

"Understood, Team Six out" Kolyat said, as he ended the conversation.

Shortly after, a large, heavily decorated Krogan strode into the room, standing to attention for the three Normandy crew members.

"What are our orders sirs?" the Krogan Admiral asked Javik, saluting him in the process.

"When in range, fire bomb the entire surface" Javik commanded, the admiral smiled at the order. "Don't stop until the entire surface is ablaze."

"Is there a reason for this order?" the Drell Admiral asked, as he appeared on the QEC, joined by the Hanar Admiral moments later.

"Intel suggests the ring world may be invested by a parasititic race" Kolyat informed them. "It's a parasite species, capable of reanimating the dead, and infesting the living."

"This one thinks they are an abomination of a race!" the Hanar admiral exclaimed.

"We'll begin incendiary bombing the surface at once" the Drell Admiral said, determination etched on his face. "Once the surface is ash, where do we go to destroy the ring?"

"The northern most point of the ring, it should be rather obvious as the control centre of the Halo" Javik stated. The Drell admiral nodded and tapped his Omni-tool, her hologram fading away moments later, followed by the Hanar.

"We'll begin setting the ring on fire, and inform you when it's finished" the Krogan admiral stated. "For now you're welcome to retire to your temporary quarters."

"I'd rather use the target range" Grunt growled, the admiral nodded and gestured for an ensign to take Grunt to the target range.

"I need to mentally prepare, is there somewhere quiet on this ship?" Javik asked.

"The airlock?" the admiral chuckled, Javik snarled and stormed off, when the admiral turned to face Kolyat, the young Drell had vanished.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Javik looked out of the window, as the Halo was starting glowing red in places, from the firestorm that raged across the surface.

"It's underway" a Krogan warrior stated bluntly.

"I can see that for myself, does the admiral want me back on the bridge?" Javik snarled.

"No. There are new orders from Commander Shepard." The young Krogan stated. "You're to move on the command center whilst we firebomb the rest of the ring."

"Any reinforcements?" he asked as he got to his feet, attaching his Particle Rifle and M-11 Suppressor pistol.

"We'd love to join the fight, but the Council has been informed of the Flood's capabilities, and have orders not to send in a large force" the Krogan grumbled. "You'll get one company, that's it."

"Fine, show me to the shuttle, I long to kill something" Javik said, flexing his limbs and striding past the Krogan peon.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What a view" Kolyat breathed, looking up from cleaning his Black Widow's sights, to see the landscape outside was sickly brown, and seemed to be teeming with life.

"Reminds me of the Reaper-Rachni I encountered with Shepard" Grunt chuckled. "Only difference is these bastards don't know when to die."

"Sirs, a gift from the Hanar," the co-pilot said suddenly, pointing at a small crate by their feet.

Javik opened it and saw several small canisters, and three cylinders with small arms.

"What are they?" Kolyat asked, picking up one of the strange cylinders.

"Flamethrowers, with refills in case you need it." the co-pilot smiled. "Those cylinders can attach to any gun, and the canisters are attached to the base of it."

"Like a grenade launcher!" Grunt chuckled, picking up the cylinder and attaching it to his shotgun, with the gas canister underneath it.

"How far from the drop zone to the objective and what's the extraction plan?" Kolyat asked, managing to strap the flamethrower to his forearm, with the gas canister attached to its side.

"We're going to land just outside the objective, or as close as possible." The pilot stated as the shuttle flew toward a large, circular structure. "As for evac, fire a flare when you're out and we'll pick you up."

"What's the plan?" Javik asked.

"You go into the structure; the company guards your exit from attack, whilst the fleets firebomb to within a click of the objective." The pilot stated, as the shuttle landed, followed by the sound of several other shuttles landing nearby.

"The AI, Cortana, gave me the command key, I enter it and order the system self-destruct, or I try to cause a misfire if there's no self-destruct option" Kolyat said, attaching his Black Widow sniper to his back, and quickly checked his Locust submachine gun.

Their conversation was interrupted by an unnatural roar, followed by bursts of gunfire.

"I'm guessing it knows we're here" Javik said dryly.

"Then let's say hi!" Grunt roared, opening the door and giving the Flood parasites that surged toward them, a fiery reception. "Burn!"

He roared and charged toward the door, burning everything in sight, as the Krogan Company did the same. Javik and Kolyat followed close behind, ensuring nothing bigger than a rat survived untouched, the heat of the flames making them sweat in seconds.

"This is a new level of hell" Javik growled, as the Flood continued to pour towards them, forming into larger, more ferocious forms. "The Reapers pale in comparison to these things!" His statement was reinforced by the foul smell of the burnt remains wafted into their nostrils.

"Masks!" a Krogan roared.

Grunt slammed his helmet on and continued burning the Flood attackers, Kolyat pulled a hood over his head, as he clicked a face mask into place, and Javik tapped his wrist and his helmet formed around his head, resembling a Collector, except for his glowing green eyes.

"Get this door open!" Javik snarled at Kolyat, covering his position with bursts of his particle rifle, as the Drell hacked the door mechanism.

"Done!" Kolyat yelled over the roars of flames, and they poured into the structure, the shuttles taking off as several fighters dropped incendiaries on the surrounding area.

"Close the doors!" Javik ordered when the last Krogan jogged into the structure, Kolyat nodded and the doors slid shut, as fire engulfed the outside area. "Maintain radio communication with the fleet, without it we're dead."

"Aye sir" a Krogan saluted, as several others burned the mould around them, creating a safe zone.

"What now sir?" Another Krogan asked, looking around the dingy corridor.

"We press on, there's no retreat until the job is done!" Grunt growled.

"Listen to your Chieftain, we either destroy this structure, and the abominations that crawl across it, or we die, there is no alternative!" Javik shouted, as the Flood's roars echoed around them. "But take heart, we are defeating a great enemy, that threatens our galaxy with its pestilence, our victory will be sung about for centuries to come. So we march forward, into the unknown, to victory or death, we WILL be remembered!"

"To victory or death!" the Krogan roared, as they slowly marched forward, burning the mould as they went, with Javik, Grunt and Kolyat leading the way.


	8. Seven Seas of Rhye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Javik, Kolyat and Grunt face the Flood

Chapter 8: Seven Seas of Rhye.

"Who dares attack my Installation?" A deep voice boomed, its tone resonating through the plagued corridors. "You are not of the Covenant or the Humans! What are you?"

"Which way? Don't use names, it's safer it not know what we are, or our names" Javik said in a hushed tone.

"Aww, what's the matter? Scared of me?" the Key-Mind mocked, "Your bombing runs are not even scratching my surface. I have infested the entirety of this weapon, and your fire does not…argh! This is not normal fire!"

"Seems you are hurt by our attack" Grunt chuckled.

"You will feel my entire wrath for this you puny whelps!" Key-Mind roared.

Moments later they heard the sound of scuttling filling the corridor, making it impossible to tell which direction the Flood were coming from.

"Get moving, the sooner we kill this thing, the quicker we can focus on…" Grunt growled.

"Silence!" Javik roared, leading the charge down a corridor indicated by Kolyat. "Why aren't you using your talent?" he asked Kolyat as they charged.

"There are no still shadows, and no chance of me to focus" Kolyat said in hushed tone. "We're nearing the control room."

"Ah, you dare speak to me face to face, come then 'heroes'" Key-Mind boasted, opening the control room door for them. "Lest you fear the mind that inhabits the entire Halo, and the legions I command."

"I've faced worse" Javik stated, as he strode into the control room.

The large spherical room was filled with a large, sickly growth, which seemed to watch them as they walked up to the control panel.

"I've seen uglier" Grunt stated, Kolyat used his flamethrower to burn away the mould covering the control panel, as Javik and Grunt covered his rear.

"Why have you come?" Key-Mind roared, were it not for their helmets, the savagely deep tone would have left them permanently deaf.

"This installation is in the wrong place at the wrong time, and it needs to be destroyed" Kolyat muttered, quickly placing the palm of his hand on the control panel, and activating his Omni-tool.

"You think destroying me will be so easy?" Key-Mind laughed as the control panel lit up. "You destroy this ring, and the explosion will send me and my brethren outward, toward the many planets and asteroids within this strange system, including your ships!"

"Get every grenade, bring it to me now!" Javik ordered. It took a few moments for every grenade to be gathered by the Krogan, who piled them in front of Javik.

"What's the plan?" Kolyat asked, furiously tapping his Omni-tool, as the system started to fight back. "Because it is not playing fair."

"Just go with it!" Javik growled, as Grunt and the Krogan fought off waves of Flood that charged through the door.

Javik used the mould to glue the grenades into one clump, placing a few of his own lift grenades into the clusters.

"Brute force will only get you so far, simple grenades will not kill me" Key-Mind mocked. Javik quickly separated the clumped grenades into three groups, two with lift-grenades.

"Urdnot, fire on my command" Javik ordered, Grunt chuckled and strode over to him. He hurled the first cluster at the center of the Key-Mind, and waited until the right moment. "Now!"

Grunt fired his shotgun at the cluster, which detonated and ripped a hole in the body of Key-Mind, the abomination roared in pain, sickly green and purple ooze leaked from the wound like blood.

"You'll pay for that!" Key-Mind roared.

Javik threw the second cluster and kept his concentration on it. At the right moment he channelled his biotics and the cluster flew through Key-Mind's heart before detonating, ripping its organs apart, and causing further roars of anger from the abomination.

"Keep it up, the damage is weakening his control of the system," Kolyat stated, Javik smiled and hurled the final cluster into Key-Mind's mouth, and instantly channelled his biotics, sending the cluster into its brain, before detonating it.

"I WILL RETURN! AND YOU WILL SUFFER FOR THIS!" Key-Mind bellowed.

Its skin rippled and pulsed, the entire mass shook, before it shrivelled up and exploded. Its liquidized body showered the room, and the occupants, as the hologram of the installation appeared before them.

"I'm in!" Kolyat cheered, wiping the goo from his visor. The hologram flashed red in places, and Kolyat quickly checked his Omni-tool. "The station is under attack, the signals match our ships firebombing the surface."

"How was the Flood capable of taking control of this installation?" Javik asked, looking around at the mouldy walls, and seeing billions of sporelings crawling toward them.

"It was held here, but the Monitor in charge got curious and released a small amount, intending to run experiments" Kolyat read from the data on his Omni-tool. "Monitor 032 Mendicant Bias was outmanoeuvred by the Flood, which promptly infected the monitor, and released the remaining Flood."

"Is there anything left of the security system?" Javik asked, checking his ammunition as the swarm approached.

"I'm activating it now, programmed to eliminate the remaining Flood" Kolyat informed them. "Once the Flood is unable to threaten the nearby planets, I'll set the system to self-destruct."

"Speaking of Flood, we've got trouble," Grunt spoke up, pointing at the door.

The Krogan who were accompanying them were being overwhelmed by the oncoming sporelings, which quickly infested their suits and began to grow over them.

"Kill them quickly, give them an honourable death" Kolyat barked, cocking his sniper rifle and shooting the soldiers through the head, but it didn't work.

"Too late… now we'll see what the Flood is capable of," Javik breathed.

The trio watched as the entire company was covered in the parasitic spores, merging together into one form, which quickly grew arms, legs and a head. When it was fully formed, it blocked the doorway and towered above them, and when it roared, it sprayed the green bile at them.

"How does it know what a Yahg looks like?" Kolyat asked, identifying the form of the monster.

"It's shifting between that and another form, which I don't recognise" Javik commented.

"Who cares, let's just kill it!" Grunt roared, repeatedly firing his shotgun at the abomination's head. The shells exploded on the surface, temporarily scaring the surface before it healed itself.

"How the hell do we kill it?" Javik cursed. Kolyat quickly shut off his Omni-tool and pulled out his sniper rifle again.

"Do you know the human myth of the Hydra?" Kolyat asked, pulling out his spare gas canisters.

"Vaguely, the seven headed monster from humanity's Greek mythology?" Javik asked.

"Yes, cut off one head and another two forms," Kolyat smiled from behind his mask. "Throw your gas canisters into its mouth, now!"

Javik and Grunt complied, hurling their canisters into its mouth, watching it swallow them with ease.

"Now take cover!" Kolyat ordered. "This could be messy."

Kolyat threw his canisters into the abomination's mouth, quickly taking aim with his rifle and shooting the last canister as it entered its mouth. The canister's explosion triggered a chain reaction, as the fire set off the next canister in its system, before fire completely engulfed the monster.

"Impressive" Grunt chuckled, as the Flood abomination exploded into a fiery cloud, before the whole room shook. "Not bad for a pious weakling like yourself. Thane would be proud of you."

"That's the self-destruct beginning, we need to move" Kolyat stated.

"You started the self-destruct?" Javik growled, striding toward the young Drell, his body glowing with his biotic energy.

"Upon the complete annihilation of most of the Flood spores on the Halo, we just finished it off, so the station is destroying itself," Kolyat said quickly. "We need to move!"

With that they ran back the way they had come, the walls, ceiling and floor collapsing around them. They burst out on to the surface, the warmth of the firestorm hitting them in full fury. Grunt fired the flare and they took cover when the shuttle swooped in low.

"Get on!" the pilot yelled as the door opened. They piled in and were thrown to the floor as it took off. "Well done sirs." She yelled as they broke the Halo's atmosphere.

"It's not over yet" Kolyat said quickly, ripping off his mask and breathing in deeply. "Order the ships to scan the ring for any signs of life, torch this shuttle before it lands, and warn all nearby planets about a potential viral spore falling from the explosion."

"Sir?" the pilot asked, confused by the orders.

"The Flood is a persistent enemy; we're not safe until it's completely obliterated." Javik breathed.

"Aye sir" the pilot said uncertainly, before relaying the orders.

The shuttle shook, and they looked out the window to see the ring disintegrating behind them, with several destroyers moving out of the way of the debris.

"One down," Grunt chuckled.

"Five to go" Kolyat and Javik added.

"Let us hope the others are having similar luck" Kolyat sighed, before crossing his legs and meditating.


	9. Sixty Watt Shaman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Team Five reach Installation 06

Chapter 9: Sixty Watt Shaman.

"Was he this suspicious of you when you met?" Tela asked Shiala, as Garrus watched her intently.

"He was quiet, but seemed nice back on Feros," Shiala smiled. "He wasn't with Shepard when we met on Illium."

"Ok. You can stop staring at me anytime Vakarian" Tela sighed; Garrus had been watching her with suspicion for the entirety of their journey to the Minos Wasteland, whilst Shiala sat uncomfortably between the two.

"Sorry, it's just the last time it was you, me and few others, you were trying to kill a very dear friend of mine" Garrus chuckled. "You should expect some latent hostility."

"Of course," Tela smiled curtly. "But I don't need to be watched like a prisoner, your general trusts me because I owe my life to Diana, though she probably didn't know that when she signed us up."

"You owe Allers your life? How?" Garrus asked, leaning forward.

"Let's just say that your general wasn't the only one to leave a near fatal wound" Tela sighed.

"Some Eclipse mercenaries figured out who you really were, and decided to turn you in" EDI stated, Tela growled, this information made Garrus and Shiala raise an eyebrow.

"Yes, were it not for Di, I'd be strung up on a wall somewhere as a trophy" Tela sighed.

"Diana Allers saved you from Eclipse mercs?" Garrus chuckled.

"She's tougher than she looks" Tela growled.

"I'll believe it when I see it" Garrus laughed.

"You shouldn't doubt Di's capabilities, or her emotions" Tela said as she stood up, continuing their conversation. "Her old boss did, and he lived to regret it."

"She just punched him in the genitals, which for a Krogan is twice as painful, but still…" Garrus stated, but Tela interrupted.

"She was being polite; she didn't punch him in the quad." Tela paused for dramatic effect. "She feminised him with her bare hands when he tried to sexually assault her."

"Remind me never to get on her bad side" Garrus commented, his hands covering his own privates. Garrus stood up to address an ensign that had nervously approached him.

"Sir, we're approaching the Halo, according to Commander Shepard, it's the furthest from any civilisation, and our scans indicate it's unguarded." The ensign said quickly, Garrus sighed and dismissed the subordinate.

"She's a lot tougher than people think, hell, if she and Aria were in a bareknuckle fist fight, my odds would be on Diana." Tela smiled as Garrus returned. "What did your peon say?"

"That it looks like this should be straight forward, no opposition, no nearby civilisations to worry about when it blows," Garrus smiled. "But let's check what Cortana's information says, EDI?"

"Installation 06 is a complete unknown, there is no information on it from what Cortana sent me," EDI stated, her glasses glowing green as she scanned the information.

"Well that's just perfect" Shiala sighed. "What do we know?"

"That the monitor in charge is still active, and may have gone insane from the isolation" EDI said quickly. "This may mean that the system will be set against us."

"Well thank the goddess we've got two of the strongest fleets on our team" Tela sighed, looking out the window at the Turian ships drawing level with them, with several Reapers close behind.

"Yeah, and the third group we've got with us is good for cannon fodder" Garrus laughed.

"I wouldn't call the Vorcha, cannon fodder" EDI stated flatly. "They're quite formidable foot soldiers; even Georgia admired their strengths in battle."

"What's the plan once we land?" Tela asked, checking her weapons quickly. "How do we combat a mad monitor who controls that?" She pointed angrily at the Halo, as the ship entered the installation's orbit.

"You'll play to the monitor's intelligence, encourage it to focus on us" EDI smiled. "Whilst the fleets find and I, activate the self-destruct, and take out the defence systems."

"So we're the cannon fodder?" Shiala said flatly, not believing the AI's plan was actually being suggested.

"Essentially, yes" EDI smiled, she then walked away before Tela or Garrus could retort.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Okay, we'll drop you off here, the target area is due north of here, and you'll need to use your natural skills to overcome the monitor's games" EDI stated as Garrus leapt off the shuttle. "Keep in radio contact if possible."

"Gotcha, I'll be fine" Garrus yelled, before jumping out of the way as they dropped a small motorbike-like vehicle. "Thanks!" he mounted up and drove north.

"What's this? A new plaything, for me?" A squeaky artificial voice boomed, echoing in the vast, empty and arid wasteland, that Garrus felt was similar to Earth's moon. Garrus skidded to a halt as a small, circular metal eye popped up out of the ground and hovered in front of him. "I ran out of things to do centuries ago, and I have never had visitors to my installation."

'This must be the monitor in charge, as it's clearly mad' Garrus thought, inspecting the silvery-blue eyed monitor, which circled around his head.

"But I simply can't greet you properly until I know who you are, and more importantly, as I don't recognise your species, what are you?" the monitor said excitedly, Garrus was reminded of a hyper child, that had had too much sugar.

"I'm Primarch Vakarian, that's all I'm giving you" Garrus stated proudly, thankful his face was hidden by his helmet.

"Aww, you're no fun" the monitor whined, its mood instantly switched, catching Garrus off guard. "I'm Monitor 16807 Astute Prodigy; do you like to play games?"

"If I win, I want you to allow a friend of mine access to the control room" Garrus said, an edge of playful joy in his voice.

"Friends? You've brought friends, where are they?" Prodigy looked around, before its eye flashed red. "They're attacking my pets, why?" Garrus knew he had to improvise, or risk a painful death at the hands of a mad AI.

"We've been sent by the Reclaimer," Garrus remembered a brief mention of John III being known as the Reclaimer by another Monitor.

"The Reclaimer?" Prodigy asked, floating closer to him. "What's his orders?"

"The station needs to be tested, specifically its internal defences." Garrus stated, knowing it was complete crap. "My 'friends' are here to test the Sentinels, with myself and three others are here to test you."

"Tests! I love being tested!" Prodigy squeaked, before Garrus could speak, the ground beneath him shook, and a spire rose up in front of him. "Please make your way to that spire, your test will begin shortly."

"Thanks, go find my friends Vasir and T'Yeo, they're the other invigilators, and may need your guidance" Garrus said quickly, before revving his bike, and driving north. "This will be interesting."

"How'd it go?" EDI's voice came in crystal clear over his head set.

"Monitor 16807, Astute Prodigy, is completely mad." Garrus breathed, he heard Tela chuckle and he needed to shut her up. "It's now looking for you, I told it we were here to test it, if we beat it, EDI will be given access to the control room."

"Gee, thanks Vakarian" Tela sighed.

"Don't use your first name, it knows me as Vakarian, you're Vasir and T'Yeo." Garrus added quickly.

"Oh crap it's here, T'Yeo out" Shiala said quickly before cutting off her comm link.

"I'll direct our forces to keep the system busy, hopefully it'll make it harder for this 'Prodigy' to focus on you" EDI stated.

"Throw everything we've got at it, because Prodigy is clearly intelligent, but completely mad" Garrus stated. "I suspect its tests will be lethal unless we keep its servers occupied."


	10. Six Degrees of Separation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Astute Prodigy vs EDI, Garrus, Tela and Shiala

Chapter 10: Six Degrees of Separation.

Whilst Garrus slowly fought through mind-bending challenges set by Astute Prodigy, Tela and Shiala were just entering their first challenge.

"Well, this seems interesting…" Tela breathed, as they walked into the first room, with the door locking behind them.

"Ah you're here!" a voice said, before a small metal orb floated before her. "You must be Vakarian's friend; I'm Astute Prodigy, welcome to your first test!" Prodigy said excitedly. "Your friends are proving quite worthwhile for testing my installation's security."

"Whoop-de-fucking-do" Tela growled, "What the hell do I do here?"

"Language strange creature!" Prodigy snapped, before suddenly shifting moods. "Your task is to reach the bottom of this chamber, and then navigate a shifting maze."

"And where is Vakarian?" Shiala smiled, cracking her knuckles and flexing her shoulders.

"Mr Vakarian is currently lost in the maze" Prodigy said, looking straight down the large vent. "He exceeded my expectations on his first test; perhaps I have become lax in my centuries of isolation."

"You've certainly become cuckoo in your isolation." Tela muttered and Shiala snickered.

"I only hope you will do the same as your friend." Prodigy said sharply, ignoring the quip.

"Well, we best go save his ass!" Tela stated, before the two Asari dived down the shaft.

"Cheaters!" Prodigy yelled after her.

As they fell, sections of the wall jutted out to block their path, but using natural grace and biotic skills; they both managed to either glide out of the way, or momentarily land on the platforms before leaping off again.

"Keep it up Vasir and T'Yeo, the multiple distractions to Prodigy's systems have given me a backdoor into his sub-matrixes" EDI said over the com link. "I'm giving Vakarian small amounts of help in the maze."

"What's so difficult about this maze?" Tela asked, flipping in mid-air to land lightly on her feet, Shiala beside her. She saw why Garrus was having difficulty; it was vast, dimly lit and constantly shifting. "Never mind that, I can see why."

"You may have outsmarted the drop my azure antagonists…" Prodigy stated, floating down and hovering close to her head. "But you won't have the same luck in this maze."

"What's at the other end of the maze?" Shiala asked, quickly checking her weapons.

"The control room for my installation, what else would be so well protected?" Prodigy said cheerfully. "I vastly improved the route there; it used to be a simple corridor, now it's a vast, complex and challenging maze."

"I say again, Whoop-de-fucking-do!" Tela said sarcastically.

"It definitely has a few screws missing," Shiala whispered.

"Indeed!" Prodigy said excitedly, before floating into the maze and disappearing.

"Vakarian, where are you?" Tela immediately asked when she was locked into the maze, separated from Shiala.

"No idea. Activate your tracker, let's try and unite in this hellhole!" Garrus replied. She tapped her Omni-tool and saw three flashing dots on her display.

"We're quite far apart, but at least I know what direction to head" Shiala stated, before running down a path, diving through the closing walls, before her route was forcibly changed.

"Now T'Yeo, play fair!" Prodigy's voice echoed all around her as she ran. "Speed doesn't save you every time." Seconds later the wall slammed shut in front of her, just as Garrus came into view.

"One second!" EDI stated, moments later the path opened, and Tela and Garrus instantly ran into each other.

"Hmm, seems my system is fighting back," Prodigy mused.

"Or your systems are short circuiting!" Garrus yelled.

"I shall run diagnostics. Enjoy your failure in the maze," Prodigy stated, before floating away from them.

"Idiot, now your AI will be discovered" Tela hissed.

"I have hidden my presence inside the network, the monitor will mistake me for a subroutine 'dealing' with the external attackers," EDI said over the intercom. "Proceed due north to the control room. I have exactly seventy percent of the subroutines under my control."

Before either could respond, EDI cut communications, and the wall to their left opened up, revealing a long, straight corridor. Shiala burst out of a side passage before it closed behind her.

"So, what did Prodigy make you do to enter the maze?" Garrus asked, after a few minutes of walking in silence.

"Drop down a shaft, with numerous obstacles trying to stop us," Shiala sighed, as the corridor continued to stretch out before them, often shifting slightly and changing the gradient. "You?"

"Shoot targets, what else is this thing capable of?" Garrus replied.

"Shooting lasers from its eye, setting the entire station to self-destruct, and summoning limitless Sentinels" Tela said simply. "I think I see the end, wanna race?"

"No biotics, tech or foul play?" Garrus smiled.

"Naturally," Shiala grinned.

At that they all began sprinting, managing to keep level with each other. As they got into their stride, and neared the end of the corridor, a wall slammed out from above, blocking their path, and they all collided with it, before falling on the floor in a heap.

"Uh uh uh, not so fast strange creatures," Prodigy's voice echoed as the corridors quickly reformed into a maze around them. "You are close, but the subroutine has been corrected."

"What about our friends outside?" Tela asked, as she helped Garrus and Shiala to their feet.

"They are proving to be no threat, and my sentinels are pushing them back on all fronts" Prodigy boasted, Shiala, Tela and Garrus looked at each other.

"One moment" EDI whispered on the intercom. "And the Sentinels were being pushed back on all fronts."

"No!" Prodigy wailed. "My sentinels are self-destructing! How is this possible?"

The trio again broke into a sprint, and weaved through the shifting walls, as their heads-up displays pointed the way through the maze, till they reached the control room.

"How have you beaten me?" Prodigy whined. Before any of them could answer, a circular podium at the heart of the control room lit up, and EDI appeared before them.

"With a little help" EDI stated. "We have beaten you, stand down."

"No, it's not fair! You cheated!" Prodigy whined like a spoilt child.

"Then we are forced to take the extreme measure," Garrus stated, as the trio stepped up to the control panel. "Destroy you, and this station."

"Never!" Prodigy roared, EDI and Shiala ducked, but Garrus and Tela were not so quick, and were both blasted backward by Prodigy's laser beam.

"Keep him busy, I'll order the self-destruct!" EDI stated over the intercom, as Prodigy ignored her, and focused on the other three.

"You cheated me, now you won't cheat death!" Prodigy growled, firing another red laser at them, but they avoided the beam. "You will not destroy my playground!"

"Playground?" Shiala remarked, firing biotic walls at Prodigy, managing to interrupt it from firing another laser at them.

"It's completely mad, use your speed, try and disable that bloody laser" Garrus ordered, as he withdrew his sniper rifle.

"Got it!" Tela growled, she sped around Prodigy, who turned to try and blast her, but missed. "Now!"

Garrus fired three times; the bullets punched into the monitor's unguarded back, and tore through the intricate circuitry. Astute Prodigy shook violently, emitting a high pitch, synthetic scream, before exploding, and showering its remains across the room.

"No fair!" it said feebly, as the light went out.

"Seems rather tragic," EDI stated, as she stepped over to the remains of the monitor. "It thought it was still functioning at peak efficiency, not realising how far it had fallen."

"Whatever!" Tela growled, kicking the glass eyepiece across the floor. "Is this thing ready to blow?"

"Yes, once we're clear I'll activate it" EDI smiled.

"How did you get here so quickly?" Garrus asked, looking over at the podium.

"Teleporters function across this station, I wired myself into the system and learnt how to operate it," EDI said, leading them to stand on the podium. "Hold on."

In the blink of an eye, they were standing on the bridge of the Turian capital ship they had arrived on, much to the surprise of the Admiral.

"How the hell did you…" the Admiral asked, but Tela interrupted.

"Teleport, get all ships clear of the station and it'll blow" she barked, the Admiral looked for confirmation to Garrus, who nodded.

"All ships, clear the atmosphere, the station is prepped to blow" the Admiral said over the radio, as the capital ship began to fly away from the Halo.

"EDI, where are the big bad Covenant we were warned about?" Tela asked, turning to walk off the bridge, with EDI and Garrus following close behind.

"They are not on this Halo, but Cortana sent me the ship signatures so I could find them," EDI explained. "They are gathered around other Halo rings."

"Well whoever is getting to fight them, better be having fun," Shiala grumbled. "That was anything but fun."


	11. Mambo No. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Shrike Abyssal harbours Installation 05 and a large fleet of Covenant ships

Chapter 11: Mambo No. Five.

“This isn’t much fun!” Zaeed growled over the comlink, as his escape pod fell toward the Halo, the pod suffering a barrage of blasts as the Covenant tried to destroy it.

“You were just unlucky to have picked a small frigate as your ride” Jack laughed back. “I’m having a blast.” She mocked, as she stood in an open hangar on a Volus capital ship, using her biotics to fling Covenant fighters into their cruisers.

“I can’t really complain about my situation either” Kasumi chuckled, as she pulled her hood up and vanished. “Their technology is fascinating.” She scampered through a Covenant destroyer, having been part of a Salarian boarding party.

“Very different to what I’m used to, all this sneaking about” Kirrahe muttered, as he followed closely behind the thief, also cloaked from Covenant eyes.

“Shepard trusts you, so I trusted you with this trade secret,” Kasumi whispered. “Don’t think I’ll let you keep it!”

“Of course” Kirrahe said brightly.

“I didn’t want to be responsible for an entire STG force being annihilated.” Kasumi quickly stated. “I had to help you survive when they were killed.”

“They knew the risk,” Kirrahe smiled, as they stopped outside a large door. “Learning Covenant secrets will help the other fleets in this battle.”

“And may advance our technology in the wider galaxy” Kasumi added.

“Jeez, get a room!” Jack sighed over the com-link, before an explosion cut her off.

“We’ll soon have a whole ship!” Kasumi giggled. “But not like that, no offence Kirrahe! I’m sorta already spoken for.”

“None taken Ms Goto,” Kirrahe chuckled.

“Whatever!” Zaeed growled, “I’ll see you planet side, Massani out.”

“How far till the bridge?” Kirrahe whispered, as the two infiltrators huddled together, as several tall, muscular aliens strode past, and into the room beyond.

“Shouldn’t be far, we’ll take it over, then space all the Covies on board, before turning on the other ships,” Kasumi said gleefully. “Hmm, Covies… I like that word for them.”

“Plan was to gather secrets, new plan makes strategic sense,” Kirrahe mused. “Catch Covenant forces off guard.”

“Indeed!” Kasumi squeaked. “Let’s go!” together they charged into the room, and immediately froze, as they found it full of tall, muscular aliens, all heavily armed.

“Ah, this may be difficult” Kirrahe whispered.

“Difficult is my middle name,” Kasumi giggled.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jack opened her eyes, and saw she was now floating in the middle of the space battle, still alive, and glowing in her biotics.

“Cool!” she exclaimed. She focused her powers and flew toward the largest Covenant ship, smashing into the hull and denting it with her biotic impact.

“Err, Miss… erm… Jack” a voice said over her com-link, as she pummelled the nearest cannons with biotic blasts.

“What?” she yelled.

“This is Admiral…” the voice began, but Jack cut him off.

“Which fleet?” she yelled, venting her anger by ripping open sections of the ship, and watching the helpless Covenant float away.

“Volus,” the Admiral said nervously. “We don’t detect your presence on the flagship, are you alright?”

“I got spaced in that impact, I’m now on the hull of their capital ship” Jack stated.

“Do you need retrieving?” he asked nervously.

“No! Do you think I’m your pet Varren?” she yelled. “Focus fire on the other ships, and tell the Batarians to begin landing, Massani’s in an escape pod heading for the Halo. HE needs retrieving.”

“Understood, erm Admiral out” he said uncertainly, before cutting the link.

“Suit monkey!” she cursed.

Suddenly a brainwave hit her, and she pulled the panels back to her, before jumping into the ship, and sealing the holes behind her. Alarms blared as she managed to bolt the panels in place with well-aimed pistol shots, before she charged through the corridors.

“Get the naked human!” a deep voice roared, she stopped and turned, to see several gorilla like creatures following her.

“Who you calling…oh!” she yelled, before realising she was completely naked, the only addition was her com link.

“Surrender human, you’re unarmed and outnumbered, and you’re not hiding anything on you!” the mutant gorilla commanded, she chuckled.

“That’s never stopped me before, and believe me, I’m hiding several things.” she laughed, before blasting them into the walls, and dashing away.

A strange voice yelled over the speakers, in a language she didn’t recognise. She stopped at an intersection and quickly fought to catch her breath.

“Okay, so I’m naked on an alien ship, after surviving being spaced” she said to herself. “Either I’m high on Hallex again, or I’m more powerful than I realise.” She paused, as she heard footsteps hurrying toward her. “I’d think the latter.”

“Halt human!” a high pitch voice yelled, as purple barriers cut off every escape path. Jack peered through the force field and saw several small bizarre looking creatures, standing on the other side of the barrier, which blocked the path she had run down.

“What the hell are you?” Jack laughed at the bizarre creatures that spoke to each other in an alien language. “Goddess! I wish I could understand you weird things. Wait, did I really say ‘goddess’?”

‘ _Your prayer is heard and answered._ ’ Miranda’s voice chuckled in her head. ‘ _And yes you did_.’

‘ _Get out of my head!_ ’ she yelled, but there was no reply.

“Is that what a naked human looks like?” she heard something say nearby in a strange accent. “I’ve seen many humans, none look like her.”

“What are all those markings?” another voice asked. She quickly realised that she could understand the strange little creatures’ native language.

“I didn’t realise they were so skinny” a third said, “what are those abnormal growths?”

“I think they’re the…” a fourth began, but a gorilla-creature pushed through, silencing their speculation.

“It matters not, she is trapped” the gorilla-creature growled, the smaller creatures ran away, leaving Jack with the gorilla-like creature, and two cronies of equal ugliness.

“What the hell are you?” Jack remarked, crossing her arms and covering her breasts, as well as crossing her legs to cover her tattooed crotch.

 “I am a Jiralhanae, often called ‘Brutes’ by your kind” the lead said proudly.

“And those weird little creatures that just ran away?” Jack quickly asked.

“As if you don’t know the Covenant races, where the hell have you been?” the Brute laughed.

“This isn’t a galaxy familiar with your people, no one here has heard of you” Jack laughed. “Or haven’t you noticed that?”

“They are Unggoy, called ‘Grunts’ by your kind,” the Brute explained, “we are two of the races that make up the Covenant.”

“Thanks for the introduction, now if you don’t mind” Jack yawned, before blasting through the opposite force field to the Brutes, and continued charging down the corridor.

‘ _I’m naked, in an alien ship, and I have no idea where I’m going_.’ Jack thought as she dived into a small storage room to avoid two heavily armoured aliens that were clearly looking for her. ‘ _And to add to all that. I can now understand these things!_ ’

“I’d say you were blessed by Miranda” Georgia chuckled, a ghostly image of her appearing before Jack.

“Great! Now I’m hallucinating about my general/goddess.” Jack cursed.

“This is no hallucination Jack,” Georgia smiled. “I may be physically comatose, but my mind is free to wander, especially with my goddess powers.”

“So you appear before me?” Jack smirked. “No need to be jealous of my gifts.”

“Your position is thanks to me, your body is at its peak thanks to me, and you’re currently lost, and naked, in a Covenant ship.” Georgia snapped. “And you’re only chance of finding the bridge, is through me.”

“And I can understand these walking freaks!” Jack nearly yelled, hearing movement outside and clamping her hands over her mouth.

“You wanted to understand them, so Miri blessed you with that ability,” Georgia smiled, before an uncomfortable silence set in. “Do you need help finding the bridge?”

“Yes” Jack growled. “But if you ever, tell the others I needed help, I swear to kill your holy hide!”

“Just try to ‘kill’ me, and I’ll make you Miranda’s bitch for eternity” Georgia growled, and Jack whimpered. “You’ll spend eternity serving her every whim, answering every command with ‘yes ma’am’.”

Secretly, General Georgia Shepard was the only person in the galaxy that Jack liked being subservient to, only because, as Georgia had pointed out, Jack owed everything she had to her general. Jack knew she’d still be cryogenically imprisoned or dead without Shepard swooping in and saving her from a life of crime.

“Fine. Lead on,” Jack said flatly, before sprinting out the door, the visage of Georgia, floating beside her.


	12. Take Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kasumi, Zaeed and Jack divide and conquer

Chapter 12: Take Five.

"Hmm, that was fun" Kirrahe smiled, as he and Kasumi stood in the middle of the bridge, surrounded by Covenant corpses, with multi-coloured blood staining most of the surfaces.

"I still love the look on their faces when we appeared in the middle of them" Kasumi giggled, as she began hacking into the ship controls.

"How are our fleets doing?" Kirrahe asked as he looked out the windows at the still raging space battle outside.

"Your people are taking the brunt of the Covenant fire, the few Volus pirate ships are supporting where they can, but the Batarians have escaped and gone ring side to destroy the Halo." Kasumi reported. "Hold on, I'm venting the areas of the ship with large populations of Covenant."

There was a slight pause, before they saw Covenant troops floating out into space.

"Can you pilot it?" Kirrahe asked.

"Let's see" Kasumi smiled, furiously tapping her Omni-tool. The response was a slight shake, before the ship began to fly toward the Halo's surface. "Let's go find Zaeed, and destroy the Halo."

"Indeed, let's hope he's alright" Kirrahe mused.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Bloody Batarian bastards!" Zaeed cursed; as he managed to kick open his escape pod door. "They can't even build an escape pod properly!"

He holstered his assault rifle and side arm, but before taking a step forward, the pod dropped slightly and he cursed again.

"Fuck sake, what the hell is…" Zaeed cursed again, before realising the situation he was in.

His escape pod was lodged into the side of a sheer cliff face, with a several hundred foot drop below him. Zaeed peered out and looked up, seeing it was a relatively simple climb up to a more stable ledge.

"Thank the goddess I like things simple," he muttered, unsheathing a barbed seven inch dagger. "Never thought I'd be caught dead saying that, guess I do believe she's the almighty now. Helluva woman to worship."

Without a second thought, he leapt sideways out of the pod, causing it to break free from the cliff and drop out of sight, leaving him fixed in place with his omni-blade impaled into the rocky face. He then began to climb up the cliff, using his omni-blade and dagger to gain some grip on the fairly featureless cliff face.

"Evening Zaeed" Georgia said, as her image appeared beside him. "Thanks for complimenting me without swearing; not that I consider swearing to be blasphemy."

"Did I inhale something funny?" he asked aloud, not stopping his climb.

"Seriously? Has everyone forgotten I'm a goddess now" Georgia sighed. "Need a hand?"

"You've saved my arse enough, besides, I like the challenge." Zaeed grinned, suddenly kicking off from the cliff, and grasping the ledge above, before pulling himself up. "Bloody barren ain't it?"

"This Halo was at one point infested with the Flood, and as a preventative measure the majority of its surface was glassed, creating the barren environment you see before you" Georgia explained, as Zaeed sat down on the ledge.

"How are the bitch and the beaut doing?" Zaeed asked nonchalantly, as he sat on the edge of the precipice.

"Which is which to you?" Georgia asked quickly.

"Does it matter?" Zaeed muttered.

"Well, they're both taking control of Covenant ships, for very different reasons," Georgia summarised. "Kasumi and Kirrahe are planning to use its technology for the good of the galaxy, and Jack wants the capital ship for her own glory."

"Gotta love her attitude sometimes," Zaeed chuckled.

"Do you…" Georgia began to ask.

"Have feelings for her, no!" Zaeed snapped. "Incest isn't my thing."

"You're related to her?" Georgia exclaimed.

"Sorta, if you tell her, I'll…" Zaeed stood up and faced the apparition.

"What? Kill me?" Georgia chuckled. "You know Jack's giving me a similar threat right now."

"Well you can be sure I will make you suffer, that's for sure." Zaeed growled. "Be gone!"

"Alright, just follow that tunnel to find the control room," Georgia smiled, before her image faded away. Zaeed walked calmly into the tunnel.

"Bloody show-off" he muttered.

' _You'd do the same!_ ' Georgia's voice whispered.

' _Damn right!_ '

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You're an impressive specimen, for a human female" a tall, muscular creature remarked, Jack watched his mandible's move with a bizarre fascination. "But you will not get past this room."

"There's nothing in here," Jack laughed, looking around at the large, circular room with a walkway overhead. "Just bits of armour and weapon crates, hardly a challenge!"

"Come Hunters, destroy this puny threat" the creature said proudly.

Jack watched as large, pink worms swarmed towards the pieces of armour, slowly dragging them together. Slowly, several hulking, heavily armoured creatures formed, with a large green gun attached to their right arm and a shield on their left.

"Shit!" Jack cursed, raising a biotic field to deflect the bolts of green energy that shot towards her.

' _The weak spot is on their backs, and their 'faces', focus your attacks there_ ' Georgia's voice instructed in her head.

Jack snarled and quickly used a biotic pull to rip off one of the Hunter's guns, and she quickly held it in her right hand, summoning a biotic shield in her left.

"Two can play this game!" Jack mocked, as the disarmed Hunter roared, and charged her. She dived out of the way and fired at its exposed pink back.

The Hunter exploded on the impact of the shot, and Jack burst into joyous cackles. She then pulled another Hunter's shield away with her biotics and fired at its helmet with a biotic-charged shot, again laughing when it exploded. She dropped the burnt out cannon and charged the final Hunter, at the last second she slid underneath and avoided its attempt to pummel her. She then leapt to her feet, and using biotic strength, rapidly punched the exposed pink flesh.

"Eat this!" she yelled, as she finished it by punching up into the beast's chest and expanding a biotic field outward from her hand, ripping it to pieces.

"Now face a true challenge!" the voice yelled, Jack dived out of the way, as a large purple tank dropped from the ceiling, quickly aiming its cannon at her.

"Hah! This is a picnic compared to what I've faced!" Jack laughed, channelling her biotics into a single mass. "I've killed things the size of this ship, your tank isn't even a bee sting to me."

Before it could fire, she threw the biotic energy at the tank, ripping its cannon off in a single hit. Before the occupant could escape, she pummelled it into the wall with continuous biotic slams, until it crumpled in on itself and exploded.

"Behind it is the bridge, have fun" Georgia said, as she momentarily appeared, before disappearing again.

Jack cracked her knuckles and flung herself through the obstructing wall, surprising the Covenant on the bridge. Their momentary confusion allowed her to wipe them out, without a single shot fired at her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Oi Zaeed, you there?" Kasumi asked over the com link, hearing a few seconds of static, before a familiar, gruff voice spoke.

"Yeah yeah, I'm here, you got that ship you infiltrated?" Zaeed asked.

"Of course we have, why?" Kirrahe said brightly.

"I need it for something" Zaeed chuckled.

"What?" Kasumi asked quickly.

"Come to me, I'll explain everything," Zaeed said simply, before cutting off his comlink.

"Curious" Kirrahe muttered, as they changed direction, heading for Zaeed's comlink coordinates.


	13. Three Little Birds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Team Three face the Covenant in the Sentry Omega system

Chapter 13: Three Little Birds.

Tali stood on the bridge of the Rayya, her childhood home, as it burst into the Sentry Omega system, the Halo they'd been sent to destroy immediately appearing on the horizon.

"Admiral, sensors detect several hundred unidentified ships guarding the ring world," a Quarian ensign reported, as she heard the other Quarian ships, and the two other fleets bursting from the relay jump behind the Raaya. "What are our orders?"

"Form up, and make contact with the other fleets, before we advance" Tali commanded, before turning and walking off the bridge.

"We need  _her_  here to order the pirates around," the ensign called after her.

She walked in silence, loving how she could tell the Quarians still in their enviro-suits were giving her amazed looks, as she strolled past in her human clothes. She reached the crew quarters and stopped outside a specific door, before knocking politely on it four times.

"Hello?" she said clearly, hearing slight movement inside, but no response. She tried the door and it opened. "We've arrived and… Keelah!" she began before exclaiming at what she saw.

Liara and Aria were in the middle of some quite passionate love-making, and quickly covered up when Tali burst in on them. Tali knew from rumour that the two Asari had a perverted sexual taste, but what she had seen was beyond anything she thought to expect, even when she had no sexual experience personally.

"What is it Tali," Liara breathed quickly, trying to regain her composure. "Me and my lover were in the middle of some important discussions."

"We're approaching the Halo, it's surrounded by Covenant ships," Tali said, averting her eyes from the pair of panting, apoplectic Asari.

"Great, now scram! We weren't done 'discussing'!" Aria growled.

"Sorry, we need you to control the pirate fleet," Tali said nervously. Aria growled and quickly got to her feet, dragging Liara up as well. "They won't listen to us."

"You might as well look Tali, you've already seen far worse than two Asari making passionate love," Liara said reassuringly, stepping forward and forcing Tali to look at her.

"That wasn't 'love-making', that was far more…" Tali said as she turned to leave.

"Alright! It's clear you're still a virgin if you don't know what true lovemaking looks like." Aria exclaimed, silencing the young Quarian, "we'll be right up."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What's the situation?" Aria asked, as she strode on to the bridge, with Tali and Liara close behind.

"We count five hundred Covenant signatures between us and the Halo," the Geth said over the QEC.

"They range from super-carrier to one-man fighters." Han'Gerrel reported over the QEC.

"Alert! Slip-space rupture detected!" the Geth said suddenly. "We now count seven hundred fifty ship signatures."

"Great!" Anto growled. "Now we're even!"

"All ships fire at will," Tali said stepping forward. "Concentrate fire on the larger ships, whilst our fighters keep the smaller ships distracted." Anto gave Aria an uncertain look, whilst Han'Gerrel and the Geth holograms vanished momentarily.

"Do as she says, or I'll space your sorry asses!" Aria growled. "She's got more naval experience than you, so she knows what she's talking about."

"Aye Aria" Anto said, quickly relaying the orders to his subordinates, the trio walked to a secluded corner of the bridge, by a window that overlooked their line of ships.

"Thank you Aria," Tali said cautiously, after a moment of realising what had just happened.

"You owe me!" Aria snapped. "I'd rather spend time with Liara, then deal with these morons."

"Really?" Tali asked, looking at the two Asari in bewilderment. "Why?"

"I've been around for nearly one thousand years, that's why" Aria said under her breath. "I've put all my affairs in order, and would like very much to spend my time with my younger lover."

"I've already assumed control of Omega, though the citizens don't know yet," Liara blushed as Aria put an arm around her waist, she quickly showed Tali her Omni-tool display, which showed her Broker system controls, and an overview of Omega's systems. "I'm now the most powerful Asari in the galaxy."

"That's why I love her" Aria smirked. "That glint in her eye when she's in charge, reminds me of myself, when I was her age. All she has to do now is seduce the Asari Councillor, and she'll be exactly like me when I was her age."

"I'll make sure to do that when Tevos steps down next year," Liara smiled mischievously. "Though that's not public information yet, but it mentioned in her diplomatic communiques to the Shadow Broker, if you know where to look."

"Why don't you be her successor?" Tali asked, as the sound of cannon fire could be heard outside. "Save yourself the bother of seducing someone else."

"Excellent idea Miss Vas Normandy" Aria smiled. "You should do that, pull the strings to become the Asari Councillor, your 'innocent' archaeologist image is still intact, and your service under Shepard means you'll have the popularity of the masses."

"You'd then be the most powerful person in the galaxy, representing your people in public, whilst controlling the criminal underworld behind the scenes." Tali smiled, brushing her purple hair from out of her face. "Wait… Why is Tevos in communication with you?"

"The previous Broker had incriminating information on her, I deleted them and extended an olive branch, she took it willingly." Liara smiled. "She believes I helped her survive the war, and keep her position during the pirate attacks."

"If you're quite done," Cortana said, appearing on Tali's Omni-tool. "Your ships are facing the largest force of Covenant yet encountered by your Council, and you're gossiping about seizing control of the Asari Republic?"

"How are you doing that?" Liara asked inspecting Tali's Omni-tool.

"I'm a very clever AI; it wasn't hard to send this message to Tal'zorah's Omni-tool." Cortana smiled. "By the way, don't fire on the largest of the new ships; it'll take care of itself."

"What?" Tali said, looking from the AI's image, to the largest ship outside the window. "Why?"

"You'll see" Cortana smiled, before disappearing.

"Well, she's certainly a beacon of useful information, like all bleeding AIs. EDI is the only exception, but that's 'cause she's got a hot bod to go with her intelligence." Aria snarled.

The ship shook violently as several Covenant fighters attacked it, swarming over the bridge.

"Launch fighters, defend the bridge!" Tali ordered, storming back to the helm. "Don't let these invaders destroy our last functioning liveship!"

The Quarians cheered, and began relaying her orders through the ship.

"Did ya hear that?" Aria barked at the holograms of Anto and the Geth admiral.

"Affirmative," the Geth nodded.

"Yes ma'am" Anto said, a slight note of fear in his voice.

"I still command fear" Aria said proudly, puffing out her chest. Unfortunately Anto continued talking as if she wasn't there.

"… It's lucky she's under Shepard, or I'd happily overthrow her oppressive regime," he said proudly, Aria looking at him with a mixture of fury and disbelief. "I've hated working for her for years, and now that's she's on her last… what? It's still on? Shit!"

"You're dam right it's on Anto; your four-eyed ass is dead meat!" Aria growled, her biotics flaring. "I may be over nine hundred years old, but I can still beat your pathetic ass, with one hand tied behind my back."

"Come and get me" Anto chuckled, before cutting off the link.

"Liara my dear, got any followers on his ship?" Aria smiled. "Any that could arrange an accident involving our dear Anto."

"I'll get right to it." Liara said, furiously tapping at her Omni-tool. "Done and done."

"That was, unnervingly quick" Tali said, acting like she hadn't been a part of a potential murder.

"Well, that deserves a private celebration, Vas Normandy, I'm sure you can handle the fleets" Aria said, not allowing Tali a response by dragging Liara away.

"Great, have fun" Tali said, calmly turning her attention back to the space battle, but was distracted by a familiar Batarian floating past the window.

"Admiral, we're pushing up on the right," Han'Gerrel reported. "Their centre and left are holding strong."

"Don't call me that, feels weird" Tali blushed. "We're the same rank; it's Cortana that said I should lead, which by the way seems an odd choice, as you have far more experience."

"Don't belittle yourself Tali," Han'Gerrel said, seeming to smile from behind his visor. "You've done a lot more than I have, in a shorter space of time, and have faced far bigger challenges than this."

"I know, it's just in previous scenarios like this, I had…" Tali stammered.

"Shepard knew you could do this, that's why her wife put you up to this task," Han'Gerrel said.

"Affirmative," the Geth said suddenly. "Calculations show your past performances outnumber the skills needed for this engagement."

"Thank you, but let's focus on the current engagement," Tali smiled. "Do you have any idea why Cortana wanted us to not attack the largest Covenant ship?"

Suddenly Tali's Omni-tool started beeping insistently.

"Tali'zorah Vas Normandy, who's calling?" she said brightly.

"It's Kasumi, any idea where Jack's gone?" Kasumi said quickly, the sound of gunfire in the background. "She was last seen boarding a large Covenant ship."


	14. 3am

Chapter 14: 3am.

"You do realise how dangerous it is to lose track of someone like Jack?" Tali said, patching Kasumi into the QEC. "Where are you? Where are Zaeed and your fleets?"

"On our way," Kasumi smiled. "We took care of Installation 05, but the Covenant jumped out of the system before we could finish them off."

"Yeah, they're here, we're pretty much at a stalemate." Tali said, pointing out of the window at the space battle outside.

"Well, we're bringing every ship we have left; we'll jump out of hyperspace behind them, and hopefully break the stalemate" Kirrahe beamed. "All you have to do is…"

"Hold the line, I get it." Tali sighed. "Is that your catchphrase or something, because you seem to be obsessed with saying it."

"Leave him alone, it's quite catchy" Kasumi smiled.

"How did you destroy 05 by the way?" Han'Gerrel asked. "Because at this rate we won't get a chance, until we break the Covenant line."

"It was all Zaeed's idea, and was quite a brilliant idea." Kirrahe chuckled.

"I don't mean to boast… Oh wait, yes I do" Zaeed grinned.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXFLASHBACKXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_"Okay, we're here Zaeed, what do you need us to do?" Kasumi said over the comlink, the former Covenant carrier hovering in front of the cliff face, with Zaeed at the mouth of the tunnel._

_"What's the accuracy on that think like?" Zaeed said, looking back down the tunnel to make sure the door to the control room was still open._

_"Schematics show it as designed for ship-to-ship fighting, not focusing on a single target," Kirrahe reported. "However its main weapon is a single weapon capable of levelling landscapes."_

_"Glassing?" Zaeed asked, remembering what Georgia had told him._

_"Yes, why?" Kasumi replied. "Will it help?"_

_"Glassing created his cliff face; get me on board, then glass through this tunnel, until the control room is exposed."_

_Kasumi carefully turned the carrier, allowing Zaeed to leap into a hanger, before lifting up and floating over the cliff. As the old mercenary strode on to the bridge, Kasumi activated the main cannon, and tore into the cliff face with the beam, only stopping when they uncovered the control room._

_"Now what?" Kirrahe asked, as the screens showed multiple strange symbols, which Kasumi's Omni-tool translated to cool-down warnings._

_"Fire everything at the control room till it blows," Zaeed grinned._

_Kirrahe pressed several buttons before the ship shook slightly, as every cannon fired at the exposed control room. After several minutes he ceased fire, and the trio stared at each other._

_"Glassing it did very little; these cannons didn't even scratch it. So what do we do now?" Kasumi sighed, starting to feel frustrated at the lack of progress._

_"We take it out the old fashioned way," Zaeed sighed. "Put this thing on auto-pilot and aim it at the control room, we'll escape in a ship, and hope that the collision will be enough."_

_They hurried to the nearest hangar as Kasumi remote piloted the ship to fly a short distance from the Halo control room. As they flew away in a small Phantom, the super-carrier flew toward the control room on auto-pilot._

_"Kirrahe to Admiral Vol'el, we're in an enemy ship, do not open fire" Kirrahe said quickly over the com link._

_"Understood, what's the status on the objective?" Vol'el asked._

_"Hopefully, objective complete," Zaeed grinned, as a shockwave impacted against the Phantom's hull._

_"I can confirm that the Halo is beginning to break apart, mission complete," the admiral said jovially over the com link. "Are you all accounted for?"_

_"Subject Zero is not here, is she with you?" Kirrahe stated, there was a brief pause that told them everything they needed to know. "Where is she?"_

_"We… don't know sir," Vol'el said weakly. "She was last seen being spaced by a Covenant direct hit."_

_"She was spaced?" Zaeed growled angrily._

_"She… survived, sir." Vol'el said nervously. "We offered to pick her up, but she boarded the other super-carrier."_

_"I almost feel sorry for the covie bastards that challenge her," Zaeed chuckled._

_"Where's the Covenant now?" Kasumi quickly asked._

_"They used a primitive slip-space jump and vanished when you took over the carrier." Vol'el stated, as they approached the main Salarian ship. "Should we prepare to follow?"_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXFLASHBACK ENDSXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"And here we are," Kasumi said brightly. "We're one Halo down, but Jack's on the loose."

"By the way, have any of you… seen Shepard recently?" Zaeed asked, feeling completely stupid for asking in the first place.

"Since she went comatose?" Liara asked. "No."

"Though you have been calling for her quite a lot" Aria smirked, making her girlfriend blush brightly, and Tali to cover her face, feeling equally embarrassed.

"Why?" Kasumi asked.

"She appeared to me when I was down on the Halo," Zaeed said, still feeling slightly silly. "Pretty sure it wasn't a hallucination, she was aware of everything going on at that moment."

"A hallucination would know what you were up to Zaeed, especially if you were exposed to an unknown hallucinogen." Liara said flatly. "The more pressing matter is Jack's current location."

"As we said, she was last heard from when boarding the other super-carrier in the space battle over Installation 05, from there we don't know." Kasumi said flatly.

"Sir, the enemy is hailing us," Han'Gerrell said, getting Tali's attention. "Should we respond?"

"Put them through," Aria ordered, acting on Tali's hesitation.

The QEC shifted to allow the new hologram to appear, before a tall, muscular Covenant alien appeared before them, looking around wildly.

"State your name, rank and reason for contacting us?" Han'Gerrell quickly asked, the alien glanced away for a moment, before looking back at them.

"I'm Admiral… Arsehole; and my species is unimportant," the alien said nervously, his four mandibles quivering during his pauses. "As for my reason for hailing you, is… that a 'superior being' wishes to talk to you."

"Who?" Liara asked.

Her question was answered when Arsehole's head exploded, and Jack strode into view, beaming, naked and covered in blood and biotic fire.

"Evening ladies, how's your day been?" Jack beamed. "Could you stop blowing holes in MY ship."

"Jack… we need to destroy every foreign entity in this galaxy, for Georgia to wake up," Liara said bluntly. "Including the ship you believe to be yours."

"Aww but I want it!" Jack whined, swinging her arm out and sending a shockwave at something out of sight, several screams echoed through the QEC seconds later. "I'm having so much fun with it!"

"Well Jack, if you get your biotic ass back here, I can offer you a ship of your own in my fleet," Aria smiled cruelly. "A position of power within my fleet has recently opened." Jack raised an eye brow in suspicion. "You know how disagreeable pirates can be, someone like you could keep them in line, and I would, of course, turn a blind eye to any 'accidental' deaths."

"Promise?" Jack perked up. "Promise I can have free reign?"

"Within certain limits," Aria snarled.

"What limits?" Jack snarled back. "What limits could you possibly have to control me?" her biotics flared across her body.

"Shepard" Aria smirked. "She'll keep you in line, be both know what happens when you try to cross her or do something she doesn't like."

"Hmph!" Jack sulked. "Fine, I'll send this thing crashing into the other big ship; make a big bang to scare them."

"No!" Tali said suddenly. "Send it toward the Halo control room, make an even bigger explosion instead."

"I like the way you think," Jack chuckled. "You heard her grunts…" the rest of Jack's sentence was nonsense to Tali and the others.

"Jack, are you feeling okay?" Liara asked cautiously. "You stopped speaking English."

"I'm fine!" Jack snapped. "I can just understand and speak these scummy things language now!"

"How?" Kirrahe asked.

"The goddess blessed me, or the cheerleader did, and Georgia confirmed it." Jack said quickly. "She appeared to me on the ship, helped me take it over."

"Told you she can appear to us, I wasn't the only one to see her!" Zaeed exclaimed suddenly.

"Anyway…" Liara said awkwardly. "Destroy the ship and the Halo, and we can go home early."

"Understood, see you all soon," Jack said brightly, before cutting off the link.

"How long until your ships arrive in the system?" Aria asked, as they watched the super-carrier break off, and descend toward the Halo's surface.

"Mere minutes, why?" Kirrahe asked.

"Because without the carrier helping; we're starting to press our advantage." Tali said, seeing that they were beginning to destroy more Covenant ships, and force them back."

"Well, I'm sure the Halo's destruction, combined with our arrival ought to ensure their destruction." Kirrahe smiled.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Half an hour passed before the other fleet arrived, and as promised they arrived on the flank of the Covenant fleet. The Covenant turned and made another slip-space jump out of the system, shortly before Installation 03 broke apart and exploded, rocking the hundreds of ships within the blast radius.

"Where's Jack?" Zaeed asked, as he strode on to the bridge of the Raaya, followed by Kasumi.

"Scanning for life signs," the Geth stated. "Anomaly detected!"

"What kind of anomaly?" Liara quickly asked.

"Life sign on incoming trajectory to the Raaya, matching entity known as Subject Zero" the Geth reported.

Suddenly Jack was sprawled against the outside of the bridge window, grinning maniacally, her body enveloped in biotic energy.

"How the hell?" Aria, Liara and Tali exclaimed in complete surprise.

"That's my girl!" Zaeed grinned, making everyone suddenly stare at him.

"What?" They all said in unison.

"Long story, basically she's my daughter, technically." Zaeed sighed. "I'll explain more some other time, right now I feel like hunting those Covenant scum to the ends of the galaxy! Where have they gone?"

"To Installation 01, the Halo that Commander Shepard and her crew are engaged with," the Geth stated. "Should we pursue?"

"No, return to the Citadel, if you can contact anyone else who has destroyed their Halos, order them to return as well," Liara stated. "If we don't head there soon, the Citadel is vulnerable."

"Understood." Han'Gerrell bowed slightly.

"We can also check on Shepard's progress, and see if what we're doing is making a difference." Tali said quietly.

"Jack! Get inside now, or you'll be pulverised when we jump through the Mass Relay," Zaeed yelled, and the former convict obeyed, floating out of sight.


	15. It Takes Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Team Two take the largest single fleet to Installation 02

Chapter 15: It Takes Two.

"Are we there yet?" Morinth yawned, after nearly nodding off for the umpteenth time.

"Do you need something to do sister?" Falare smiled, her arm around her girlfriend's shoulder, who was asleep in her embrace.

"You know what I want to do sister, but  _she_ won't let me," Morinth growled.

"Leave Ashley alone, just because the goddess helped you find a new niche for your lust, doesn't mean you have to constantly feed on it." Falare sighed, looking at her nimble fingers entwined in Ash's long black hair.

"Aww, but you like it when I 'feed' off you," Morinth grinned.

"Well, you did spend several centuries sucking off different races until you killed them," Falare said flatly, trying to stop her sister's train of thought.

"True, but now I just want you, and I know you won't die when I'm through," Morinth got down on all fours and crawled toward her sister. "So stop teasing me, and get it out now!"

"No!" Falare nearly yelled, kicking Morinth back, and waking Ashley from her sleep.

"Hey hun, what's going on?" Ash asked sleepily.

"It's just Morinth wanting to suck me off because she's bored. You can go back to sleep, I'll wake you when we get there." Falare smiled, caressing her girlfriend's cheek.

"Just let her dear, you know what's she's like if you don't give her what she wants," Ash sighed, sitting up, and snuggling beside Falare. "If you don't want her pleasuring you, she can eat me out instead."

"Really?" Morinth perked up.

"Ash, she needs to learn control," Falare sighed. "How will she learn that, if we let her get off whenever she needs the release."

"I'm not the one getting off sister!" Morinth growled.

"It's a figure of speech, sort of," Falare retorted. "Besides, I have learnt that we could have children, so I'm saving myself for the one I love."

"Really?" Ash asked, smiling brightly up at Falare.

"Of course," she replied, before the two lovers kissed.

"One problem, Williams here is celibate; she'll only let you bugger her at the moment." Morinth said slyly, "So you'll need to get married soon, if you're trying to save your seed for her."

"Done!" Falare said defiantly. "Soon as we're done here, I'll ask the goddess to marry us."

"What about mother?" Morinth said, sounding concerned that she would be left out of this important decision.

"Shouldn't we talk about this?" Ash said nervously, seeing that she'd been left out from this important decision. "Before you jump to such promises."

"Agreed." Morinth grinned. "Tell you what, you go find out how much longer till we reach the Halo, and I'll talk to my sister, and persuade her to talk about this with you first."

"No Morinth, you go, we'll talk as a couple." Falare growled.

"Oh Falare just let her blow you, just make sure you're the one in control, and I'll check on our progress." Ash said standing up and moving toward the door. "I'll be back shortly."

Ash quickly left the room, sharing a quick kiss with Falare, before heading for the bridge. Morinth jumped her distracted sister, desperate for sexual release. As she walked through the Asari flagship, she was joined by a spectral image of Georgia.

"Evening Ash, seems you're in an interesting scenario." Georgia smiled, making the Staff Commander jump.

"Skipper?" she said in disbelief. "How?"

"I'm merely physically comatose; my mind is able to wander." Georgia smiled. "I couldn't help but notice you and Falare's relationship tension, care to talk about it?"

"No, what's the status of your body?" Ash asked, changing the subject.

"Getting better, but there are still two Halos that are hurting me," the goddess sighed, pulling up her jacket, to show the still bleeding wound beneath. "There is something else that troubles me also."

"What?" Ash asked, not realising that the Asari she passed, where staring at her with puzzled looks.

"There is something at work here Ash, something that won't reveal itself yet." Georgia's brow furrowed in deep thought. "Something took John to that alternate reality, before sending him back grown up, which also brought all these Halos and the Covenant as well, it's just a question of what?"

"Well I'm sure it will reveal itself when we deal with these two Halos," Ash said brightly, reaching the doors to the bridge of the Asari ship. "For now rest, we need you back at full strength."

"Your concern is touching, see you soon." Georgia said as she faded away.

"Commander Williams, we've entered the Halo's orbit, no sign of any hostile forces," the Asari admiral said as Ashley strode on to the bridge. "What are your orders?"

"Spread out across the surface," Cortana said, appearing from Ashley's Omni-tool. "From the information we gathered back in our universe, this Halo is mostly water and ice, with all the vital areas hidden beneath the surface."

"Oh goodie…" the Asari admiral groaned. "It's a good thing that we're here; our ships are capable of travelling on water."

"What about under?" Cortana smirked. "Because I'm not saying the control room and power stations are a few meters down, they're a few thousand leagues below the surface."

"Might I suggest something… Cortana?" the Asari admiral said after a few moments thought.

"Of course, you know your fleet better than me," Cortana smiled.

"The Ascension will act as a floating island, whilst all other ships remain in orbit until we learn more," she summarised. "We'll send the Normandy trio down once scans indicate the control room's location."

"I agree with the plan, its sound provided there aren't complications," Cortana smiled. "I'll leave it to you and Commander Williams to sort out."

"Staff Commander!" Ashley corrected. "Miri's the real Commander, I'm her subordinate."

"Whatever, anything else?" the Asari groaned.

"Nothing important, I…" the AI faltered, before cutting off mid-sentence.

The reason became clear seconds later, when the Destiny Ascension was hit by an EMP, and fell toward the watery surface.

"Why is when there's something hiding under water, it has some nasty ship-disabling surprise" Ashley growled, as the Asari struggled to regain control. "First Leviathan, now this! Can she float?"

"Should do!" The admiral yelled back, as the water grew closer and closer. "Because we certainly won't get power back anytime soon, must be one powerful EMP to completely shut us down!"

"Brace for impact!" Ashley yelled, mere seconds from the water.

The ship shook violently as it hit the water, and Ashley was slammed into a console and blacked out, hearing muttered shouts as she slipped into unconsciousness.


	16. Song Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Falare, Morinth and Ashley face the trials of Installation 02

Chapter 16: Song Two.

"What the hell's going on?" Morinth snarled, striding on to the bridge, wiping the corner of her mouth, before glaring at the chaos before her.

"We entered the atmosphere of the Halo, and got hit by an EMP," the admiral said quickly, checking the status of her ship as she spoke. "Luckily the surface is ice and water, and we're buoyant, with minimal damage to the engines."

"Can you get it flying again?" Falare asked as she hurried in moments later, her cheeks slightly flushed from what she and her sister had been doing.

"Negative, we can't even communicate with the fleet, we're completely powerless down here," an ensign stated.

"Well what can we do?" Morinth exclaimed.

"Sir, we could search for the nearest structure, using biotic shockwaves as radar, it might help us complete the mission." An ensign piped up.

"Get on it, the rest of you, undo the damn EMP's damage, and get us contact with the fleet" the admiral barked at her underlings.

Falare quickly knelt beside the unconscious Ashley, and began praying under her breath. After a few minutes of kneeling in silence, whispering prayers for help to her goddess, she felt something kiss her on the back of the neck, before the ship sprung into life again.

"What the hell just happened?" the admiral roared, as the bridge quickly moved to resume standard operating procedure.

"A gift from the goddess," Morinth grinned, spotting her sister on the floor praying. "Contact the fleet and tell them to stay in orbit, we don't need more toys in the bath. I would suggest that they also scan for the control room."

"Understood," the admiral stated. She knew of Morinth's ruthless reputation, and she knew the danger of crossing her, even without the Ardat-Yakshi curse. "You three best get ready to move, the sooner we destroy this thing and go home, the better."

"Of course, we all have places we'd much rather be," Morinth smiled, shooting a glance at her sister.

"Morinth!" Falare exclaimed, lifting Ashley up and carrying her toward the door. "Why is it always about sex with you?"

"I spent most of my life killing people because I hungered for the sexual release, I'm having a hard time adjusting," she snarled, as they walked off the bridge, toward their temporary quarters.

"So you're using me as your crutch?" Falare asked, as Ash began to stir.

"For now, but I may soon find a new interest, and let you two live a life together," Morinth smiled, sidestepping into a small armoury. "See you when they call for us."

"Hey hun, what I miss?" Ash said sweetly, cupping Falare's cheek.

"The goddess blessed us, gave the ship back its power, and we're looking for the control room." Falare said softly. "You were knocked out when the ship impacted with the water."

"I know that," Ash blushed slightly. "How'd the goddess help?"

"Miri answered my prayers for help," Falare beamed. "For now let's make sure you're okay, and then prepare to destroy the penultimate Halo."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Wow this place is dull" Morinth sighed as they swam into the Halo's inner workings. "I was expecting more from these 'Forerunners'."

"Hush now, we're a short distance from the main room for this section, the scans couldn't identify the control room under all the ice and water." Falare responded.

"Let's be glad they could find something, as no one wants to search a ten thousand kilometre wide ring world, covered in water and ice." Ash chuckled. "Even with the entire Asari fleet it would take time; time we likely don't have."

"Ah visitors," a voice said, before a platinum metal orb with a sapphire blue eye floated into the corridor. "It's been a while… but I'd be glad to assist you however I can."

"What are you?" Morinth said, almost wanting to punch the glowing eye, but not knowing why.

"I am 007 Trident Titan, Monitor of Installation 02." The orb said proudly, its voice sounded like it was drowning. "I have detected no signals from most of the other Halos, are you here in response to this?"

"In a sense," Ashley said vaguely. "Ignore them, the Reclaimer has ordered the Halos destroyed."

"Destroyed? Why?" Titan asked, but it didn't sound angry or surprised by this request.

"The Halos are not in the right reality or universe," Ash stated.

"In order to send them back, they need to be destroyed," Falare added, though this was likely not true.

"Of course, such irregular impossibilities must be rectified," Titan said quickly. "Follow me; I shall aid you in fixing this problem as best I can."

"Why are you so keen to help destroy your installation?" Falare asked, as they followed the floating orb through the narrow corridors.

"I have been in frequent contact with my closest counterpart, Monitor 049 Abject Testament of Installation 03," Titan stated. "Before I lost contact with it, they told me of strangers attacking Installation 03, and how he was letting them destroy it, as destruction was the safest option."

"And you share this view?" Falare asked.

"Partially, but now that you have told me of the Halo threatening a Flood-free system, and that destruction is the safest option, I have noted that all positive outcomes stem from complete system destruction." Titan deduced.

"You're not putting up a fight?" Morinth whined.

"I destroyed the Flood specimens held on this Installation centuries ago, and regular contact with Abject Testament has helped me understand more about these installations and their purpose." Titan explained. "As this is a Flood-free galaxy, this Halo is obsolete, and is now a weapon of mass genocide."

"You comprehend genocide?" Falare asked, looking up at the glass ceilings.

"Genocide is not an illogical or impossible outcome to my programming, but these installations were created to destroy the Flood's source of sustenance." Titan stated. "There are no Flood in this reality, this installation's purpose is void, and only threatens innocents with a pointless extermination at the hands of monsters. I will not allow my maker's legacy to be used for evil."

The monitor led them to the control room, which was vast, circular, and capped with a glass ceiling showing the ocean above them, the sunlight was barely visible.

"So, how do we send this installation back to where it came from?" Morinth asked, taking in the complex holographic control console.

"Only a Reclaimer can interface with the controls, and activate the key functions," Titan said proudly. "Luckily for you, you have a reclaimer among you."

"Me?" Ash exclaimed, noting how the orb was staring at her.

"Humanity are the only life form in this whole system that can interface with the controls, though your species is fascinating to my scans," Titan chirped, looking at Falare and Morinth.

"Keep your scans to yourself!" Morinth growled.

"I meant no disrespect; I have never come across your kind before. If I might be so bold, what do you call yourselves?" Titan said, floating closer to Falare, as if studying her.

"Asari" Falare said slowly.

"Fascinating," Titan exclaimed. "If I had the opportunity I would love to learn about your culture, but I will resign myself to fate, and hope that the maker allows me the opportunity in another life."

"I… But… Never mind." Morinth stammered. "How do we blow this thing up?"

"All preparations have been made; I have sent a warning to your ships to clear the blast radius, I will soon activate the self-destruct protocol." Titan stated, circling the trio.

"Great, how do we escape once the destruct is activated?" Morinth asked, looking around and realising the door had sealed shut.

"I'm afraid that once self-destruct is activated, all sub-routines will shut down." Titan said gravely. "I'm sorry, but escape will not be possible for all of you."

"Then let us escape now, and activate it once we're clear" Ashley said quickly, as Falare and Morinth moved toward the sealed door.

"I'm afraid that your 'Asari' will have to remain behind." Titan stated.

"What?" Morinth exclaimed.

"Your species is alien to my makers, any escape systems cannot be interfaced to your species once self-destruct is initiated!" Titan said solemnly.

"Well then recalibrate it now, or whatever it is you do, and get us out of here before activating self-destruct!" Morinth snarled, pointing her M-11 at the monitor.

"I'm afraid that is not possible!" Titan stated flatly. "As I have removed all restrictions, systems are starting to shut down to divert all power to the self-destruct protocol.

"Why do big structures have self-destructs, I've never understood that." Ash mused. "I mean its an obvious weakness."

"Self-destruct protocols are used for emergencies when outside forces attempt to take over," Titan explained. "In case of this situation, my programming may activate this protocol to protect my maker's installation, and attempt to destroy the hostile force in one move."

Morinth holstered her weapon, and moved to the centre of the room.

"Get them out of here, I'll stay" she sighed, sitting cross-legged on the floor.

"Morinth no!" Falare exclaimed, trying to drag her sister toward the open door.

"Just go, you two have a future together, I don't" she said flatly, blasting her sister away with a small shockwave.

"Yes you do Morinth, you just haven't found it yet," Ash said encouragingly. "So get up, we're all getting out of here."

"No I don't have a future," Morinth snapped. "I'm an ex-Ardat-Yakshi, who's addicted to sucking her sister off, I should have died when mum and Shepard caught me."

"If you're not going, I'm staying too, I won't abandon my sister, not now we're so close," Falare said, sitting close beside her sister.

"Hun!" Ash exclaimed at the sudden change of heart.

"Family is everything to me Ash, you of all people should understand that," Falare said softly. "I'm not letting her die alone, like Rila did."

"Then I'm staying, I love you more than I thought possible, and I want to be with you till the end." Ash said, cuddling with Falare. "I love you too much to find someone else."

"I love you Ash," Falare said softly. "Goddess protect us."

"Such devotion," Titan said quietly, as the system began to whir loudly, indicating the self-destruct had begun. "Good bye Asari and Reclaimer."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As the Destiny Ascension cleared the Halo's atmosphere, quickly rejoining the rest of the Asari fleet at a safe distance from the Installation, the Admiral watched the Halo explode from the bridge.

"Admiral, what of the Normandy crew members?" an ensign asked nervously.

"Their sacrifice will be remembered." she said simply, turning away from the window. "They died in service to the Council, and more importantly, the Asari Republic."

"What should we do now?" another ensign asked.

"All ships return to either Asari space or the Citadel, we must inform the Council of our success."

"What about Falare, Morinth and Ashley?" the first ensign asked.

"They're in Athame's embrace now, may they find peace in the embrace of the goddess." The Admiral said, walking off the bridge.

"Notify Commander Shepard!" the first ensign said once the Admiral had left. "We cannot keep it secret from her."


	17. One More Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Team One arrive at the last Halo

Chapter 17: One More Time.

"I can confirm that all five other Halos have been completely destroyed," Cortana smiled. "That leaves us to deal with Installation 01, and the remainder of the Covenant fleet."

"What?" Miranda almost exclaimed, still reeling from hearing that Team Two had sacrificed themselves.

She, Samara, John and Warlord Barca stood in a circle on the Prothean flagship bridge. They were gathered around a holographic projection of the Halo, with Cortana standing beside it.

"It's a good thing we're here then," Barca chuckled. "Are our ships capable of blasting through their lines?"

"From my scans of your systems, yes, but there will be some casualties." Cortana smiled, as Vici appeared beside her.

"I have run the same calculations, and come to the same outcome warlord." Vici stated.

"Is there any information on Installation 01 itself?" Samara asked.

"No, there was no detailed information in the systems of Installation 04 about this one, only the number 001." Cortana said nervously, twiddling her fingers and looking down at her feet. "Though I couldn't tell if it was just binary code, or a classification for the Halo itself."

"Could it be the monitor in charge of the installation?" John asked.

"Possibly, it would be a unique instance of the installation and the monitor having the same number." Cortana smiled. "We're approaching the Halo now."

"Vici, what's the enemy formation?" Barca growled, as they were immediately met with Covenant cannon-fire.

"They are using a standard defensive line. They are blocking off any direct route to the installation." Vici stated. "Should I conduct usual response tactics?"

"Yes, let's show them what the Protheans can really do!" He said proudly, striding over to the window, and watching the battle commence. "Once we're finished, we'll drop you off at the control room, whilst we spread out to deal with any surprises."

"An excellent strategy!" Cortana said quickly. "Commander Shepard and company are ideal for facing whatever 001 can throw at us."

"Indeed," Barca said quietly. "You are dismissed!"

Samara, Miranda and John, after retrieving Cortana, walked back to the Normandy.

"I'm surprised he didn't want to talk about… whatever he wanted to talk about last time we were here." Cortana said brightly, appearing on Miranda's Omni-tool.

"There are other priorities to think about at the moment," Samara said serenely, as the ship shook from multiple impacts.

"Indeed, when we destroy this Halo, Georgia will return to us," Miranda smiled brightly. "The rest of the crew are safe and returning to the Citadel."

"I hope so," Samara added.

They rounded a corner, and entered a long docking hatch, which connected the Prothean flagship with the Normandy. As they approached, the airlock door opened, allowing them to walk straight into the ship.

"Commander!" Samantha said, saluting as they approached. "What are your orders?"

"No need to be formal Sam," Miranda chuckled. "Prepare to launch, we're tasked with landing by the Halo control room, and destroying the station."

"And the Protheans?" Sam asked quickly, following them into the lift.

"Are dealing with the Covenant fleet," Samara answered. "Cortana says they will break through their line, but it will come at a price."

"They want an honourable death, this is certainly an honourable cause," Cortana said solemnly.

"Right, John could you plug Cortana into the cockpit computer, and wait for Barca to contact us," Miranda ordered as the doors opened on the CIC. "I need to speak to Samara alone."

"Yes mum," John nodded, taking Cortana from Miranda and striding out of the lift.

The lift ride up to the next floor was dead silent, and awkward. When the doors opened, Diana was patiently waiting for them, as Samantha sidestepped her, and walked into her quarters.

"Ah Commander, word on the extranet is crying out for the general's declassified autobiography," she said brightly.

"Kind of difficult with her in a coma Di," Miranda smiled, as she and Samara walked past.

"I understand commander, I was thinking it should have a section with personal views of those who have worked with her," Diana explained. "Have a page or paragraph on what it was like to work with her during or after the war."

"Excellent idea!" Samantha called from her room.

"Indeed," Samara smiled, Miranda gestured, and the Justicar strode into the general's room.

"You have my permission to begin writing it Di, and you can include the pieces from the crew and anyone else you can find, just make sure they're positive." Miranda said softly, so only Diana could hear. "But I think until this situation is sorted, do not mention the Halos, Covenant or John."

"But the people want…" Diana began, but Miranda put a finger over Allers' lips.

"Ghost write it, I'm sure she won't mind," Miranda said even quieter. "You might even be rewarded for your actions."

"I won't hold my breath," Di said flatly. "Might I suggest you write a foreword for it, describing your relationship with Georgia Shepard."

"Of course, now go get started!" Miranda said brightly, before slapping Di's ass to get her moving.

"You wanted to see me Commander?" Samara said softly, Miranda found her sitting on the couch with her hands on her lap, and legs together.

Miranda nodded, and walked straight over to the two cots where James and Jaina were sleeping, making sure they were both okay. She then sat down opposite Samara, allowing her boots to slip off.

"You may relax Samara, I know that since your night with Geo, you like showing off more," Miranda smiled, noting that Samara seemed uncomfortable.

"Excuse me Commander?" Samara asked nervously, but keeping her serene demeanour.

"Don't suddenly be shy and nervous now," Miri chuckled, unzipping her catsuit and revealing the pale pink globes beneath. "I'll do the same."

Samara gave her superior a sultry smile, before slipping her black jacket off her shoulders, revealing her braless breasts beneath.

"Better?" Miranda smiled, and Samara nodded.

"Seems we are now equal in our figures commander," Samara smiled, her eyes fixed on Miranda's mature breasts.

"Indeed," Miranda chuckled, shifting so she was sitting beside Samara, with her arm around Samara's waist. "Do you feel like telling me why you've been acting differently since your night with Geo?"

"I guess she changed my whole religious outlook," Samara sighed, lying back and resting in Miranda's arms. "I spent centuries staying celibate in service to the goddess Athame, but now my general is my goddess, and I have shared my bed with her. She has shown me a new way, and I want to spend my new lifespan, which she blessed me with, serving her faithfully… if you will let me of course."

"As long as I get to share you Samara, and you don't muscle in on our marriage,"

"I would never do that Miranda, marriage is sacred and I won't intrude upon your union, I am merely a humble follower," Samara said quickly.

"I just want to be sure," Miranda said softly, before her demeanour became more sombre. "I must be honest, this is not why I brought you up here alone."

"Miranda?" Samara asked, remaining calm despite her superior's sombre expression.

"I received word from the Asari Admiral, after they destroyed Installation 02." She said slowly, choosing her words carefully, but she would not sugar-coat the truth. "Falare, Morinth and Ashley sacrificed themselves to destroy the Halo."

"What?" Samara gasped, feeling a great wrenching in her chest. "Why?"

"I do not know, I only answer prayers, Geo is the true goddess," Miranda said, moving closer and holding Samara in a tender, one-arm embrace. "But they did not return once the self-destruct had been activated, and there was no word on them escaping the Halo's destruction. I'm so sorry."

"Thank you goddess, your support is greatly appreciated." Samara said, fighting back her emotions better than Miranda had expected, showing no signs of depression. "My daughters all died sacrificing themselves for the good of the galaxy, a mother with my history could not ask for more."

"You sure you're okay?" Miranda asked, slightly off-put by Samara's stone-cold reaction. "It is not weakness to show your emotions in this kind of situation."

"I could say the same to you," Samara retorted in her calm manner. "Ashley was with them, my daughters did not die alone."

"But your entire family is gone, I apologise for being so blunt, but I would expect some form of emotion from you, especially after you brought them into the Normandy crew." Miranda blurted.

"I have lived for almost one thousand of your years, I have seen atrocities committed on every world, done things I am not proud of, and seen what the cost of such actions can be." Samara said coldly, her eyes burning through Miranda. "Do not lecture me on hiding my emotions Commander, I learnt long ago that showing my most tender emotions will only result in pain, and lead to grave mistakes. That is a lesson I learnt, as your people put it, the hard way."

"Samara I..." Miranda stammered.

"Let me finish," Samara interrupted. "The goddess has blessed me with another thousand years of life, and I will do my utmost to ensure my daughter's sacrifice was not for nothing, they will not be forgotten, in the same way that I have not forgotten Rila's sacrifice. For now I must focus on the mission, to destroy this Halo and save my goddess from what harms her, there will be time for emotion after the galaxy is safe. Do not mention them until we have destroyed the Installation, my mind is focused on nothing else but saving the galaxy, and the goddess I worship."

Miranda suddenly leaned in and kissed Samara on the lips. Their kiss was at first chaste, before hidden passion quickly took over, and they pulled the other closer.

"What was that for?" Samara breathed when she managed to pull away.

"I had to be sure you were still in there," Miranda smiled.

"I do not understand," Samara tilted her head in confusion.

"I wanted to make sure that the woman I just agreed to share with my wife was still in this cold exterior; that the kind compassionate woman had not died with her daughters, and that the Samara that I and Geo love, was still with us."

Samara blushed and hesitated, before pulling Miranda in for a kiss.

"Ahem!" Samantha coughed, making the two women pull apart, but neither bothered to cover their exposed breasts. "Did I interrupt something I shouldn't have?"

"I'm not cheating on Geo; we're merely confirming a three sided relationship, of sorts, between two goddesses and their most loyal follower." Miranda said defiantly, the final sentiment made Samara's blush darken.

"Yes commander," Samantha said quickly, after realising she'd gone quiet staring at the two pairs of breasts before her. "Cortana wants you to know that the Protheans have broken through the Covenant blockade, and Warlord Barca recommends we move on the control room whilst their distracted."

"That was quicker than estimated." Samara said quickly.

"The Covenant were outmanoeuvred by Barca. He tricked them into weakening their line in one place, before bringing in reinforcements and smashing through the weak spot, disorganising the entire Covenant armada." Samantha smiled. "As possible strategies go, it was definately brilliant, I almost regret challenging him to Kepesh-Yakshi, but I enjoy a challenge. He suggests you prepare to lead the landing party."

"Thank you Samantha" Miranda said standing up, "Get us groundside as soon as possible."

"I'll relay the message," Samantha said brightly, moving toward the door, but not wanting to stop staring at the exposed mammaries. "I'd recommend you suit up."

"Thank you Traynor, we're almost done," Miranda sighed, stopping Samara as she moved to redress.

"Commander?" Samara asked, as the door slid shut. "Is there something you need?"

"I… I would like you to do something unusual… just for this mission… unless Geo asks otherwise." Miranda said, clasping Samara's breasts, gently squeezing them. "I want you to wear a bra."

"A what?" Samara exclaimed, fighting the impulse to recoil as Miranda's hands on her breasts were a wonderfully erotic sensation.

"A bra. You've never worn one?" Miranda stepped back, taking sultry steps towards her wardrobe.

"I have heard of them, and I cannot say that I have ever worn one, they are not custom in Asari culture." Samara said quickly. "Why do you wish for me to wear one?"

"Because I want at least one mission where I'm not staring at your cleavage, thinking of what I'd do to you, instead of focusing on the mission." Miranda said quickly, showing the Asari one of her new bras. "I think this will fit you, care to put it on?"

"Well... Commander... if I'm going to wear your lingerie, I might as well wear one of your catsuits," Samara smiled mischievously at her. "I feel that won't go with my outfit at all."

"Why not!" Miranda laughed, tossing her black and gold catsuit to Samara, who quickly slipped out of her own outfit. "I'd quite like to see someone else wearing it, especially you."

"Thank you goddess," Samara said sultrily. "I hope I look as good as you do in it."


	18. She's the One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Monitor 001 tests Miranda and John

Chapter 18: She's the One.

As the Normandy came in to land by the control room, Miranda, John and Samara, now wearing Miranda's black catsuit, stepped into the cargo bay, ready for action.

"Blimey Samara, any reason you're wearing Miranda's outfit?" Cortez asked.

"By the will of my goddess," Samara smiled, looking down at her mature figure perfectly encased in Miranda's catsuit, and feeling the bra supporting her bosom in a way she'd never experienced before. "And it was time for a change, a well-fitting change."

"You look good," Cortez said quickly. "We're right outside the control room, Warlord Barca is still annihilating the Covenant above, but he has brought some ships down across the Halo."

"Excellent, we do not know what's going to happen here, and we don't know what is waiting for us." Miranda smiled, as the door opened.

Samara and Miranda put on breath masks, as the environment was not life supporting. The trio walked out on to the Halo surface, and stopped when the full scale of everything around them sunk in.

"Goddess!" Samara breathed, looking around at the vast, Martian style, environment that went on as far as the eye could see. The only break in the endless red wastes, was the small bunker in front of them. "To think this was made by someone… it is beyond unimaginable. In our universe only the Reapers could build something like this."

"Indeed, I can't help thinking of Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and the people who make planets. But I'm more intrigued by what the Leviathans would think of these structures." Miranda said looking around. "The mechanics behind the environment alone could radically help the still wounded galaxy."

"Well, if you plug me into the right computer, I could probably download the necessary schematics." Cortana said brightly, she had chosen to operate through Miranda's Omni-tool. "Maybe something positive can come from this, or the general could use her goddess powers to help, just saying."

"Gradual help will be better than curing everything at once," Samara replied. "Even as a goddess, if she cured everything at once, it would draw too many questions, and forcing everyone to accept the change is just wrong. She came up with an optional means of allowing Quarians and Turians to eat non-dextro substances, she did not force the change."

"Seems you're not just good looks and charm, there's an incredible brain beneath those curves." Cortana smiled.

"Then we are alike," Samara smiled back. "How do we get in?"

They stopped at the main door, seeing it was locked, with no visible means of opening it.

"I'm attempting to remotely access the system, but its encryption is stronger than any Forerunner interface I have thus far encountered." Cortana said flatly. "It should only take me a moment to gain access."

"Not so fast!" a deep, booming voice yelled.

A small floating orb floated down from somewhere further up the tower, and it seemed to stare through them. The monitor was made of a dull, grey metal, with a crimson red glowing eye; it was also larger than Guilty Spark and the other monitors.

"Who or what are you?" Miranda asked coldly, her hands instinctively moving to her M-11.

"It's a monitor, warden of the Halos; our history with them isn't pretty," Cortana said flatly, crossing her arms and staring at the monitor intently.

"Ah, AI CTN 0452-9, nice to meet an AI with intelligence that almost rivals my own," the monitor stated.

"You know me?" Cortana asked, her suspicion of the monitor clearly etched in her tone.

"Of course, Monitor 343 warned me about you, and your green armoured Reclaimer friend." The monitor said, looking between Cortana and John. "Your new friends however are new to me."

"And will remain so," Miranda said through gritted teeth. "Who or what are you?"

"Monitor 001, known as The First, and I do know who you are Miranda Lawson, and Samara… strange, there is no surname, only pain." The First stated. "But it matters not, you will not succeed here, so I advise you go home."

"I don't think so, you may think you know us, but this Halo is not where it's supposed to be, and we need to destroy it to send it back." Miranda said boldly.

"You may have thought that I would let you destroy this installation as your friends have done to the others, but I am not as deluded as you," The First said coldly. "I will not run the risk of you destroying the last testament of my maker's legacy; you will have to find another way to save your wife. Though I do not know how my maker's installations are affecting her."

"How do you know all this?" Samara asked.

"Your ship's computers were easily accessed by my superior intelligence; copies of your files are now saved in my data banks." The First said proudly.

"If you're so clever, then let us face your skills, if we win, this installation is destroyed." Miranda snarled, feeling anger welling up at the monitor's arrogance stopping her mission, even when they were in the right.

"And if I win?" The First asked, floating closer, so his glowing red eye illuminated Miranda's face.

"Our fate is yours to choose," she said coldly. "What have you to lose?"

"You have a deal Ms Lawson, enter and our agreement is finalised" The First stated, as the door slid open.

"I'm not backing down, not when I'm so close to saving Georgia," Miranda said striding into the building, followed by John and Samara moments later.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

John slid down a small drop, and was surrounded by complete darkness. He activated his helmet lights, but it did very little to illuminate the shadows. He then realised he was alone; no Samara, Cortana or Miranda at his side.

"Mum?" he asked, looking around, hoping to see her standing nearby.

"I am afraid she is not here to protect you Spartan," The First said coldly, its red eye appearing from the darkness. "I have isolated you all, and ensured you will fail in defeating me."

"You're wrong!" John said boldly.

"Am I?" The First chuckled. "You and I are not so different; we are both aliens to this galaxy, and products of our legacies, why do you oppose me?"

"Because my family is threatened by the presence of this Halo, I must destroy it to save them." John said calmly, taking several steps forward.

"Your 'father'?" The First asked. "Tell me Spartan, how does this installation harm her?"

"It's complicated," John said quickly.

"Is it?" The First asked, floating up to John's face. "How can this Installation harm a goddess? Surely such an insignificant thing could not cause her much pain."

"How do you?" John asked, but The First floated into the darkness.

"I lied when I told your mother I scanned her ship's computers, because the truth is far more complex." The First laughed. "Though you may doubt it, I can read minds like they are computers, it was a blessing from a superior being. I know everything about you; your induction into the Spartan programme with Doctor Halsey, all your missions for the UNSC, and your first encounters with my maker's Installations, the Flood, culminating with your partnership with the Arbiter. Back in our galaxy you were frozen in cryo-sleep before you woke up in this galaxy."

"You may know about me, but you do not know me!" John snarled. "I'm more than…"

"All sentient beings, like homo-sapiens, are the sum of their memories, and I have read yours like a book, so I DO know you!" The First stated. "I know everything about your life up until now!"

"Then why was I torn from my parents as a child?" John asked.

"Halsey kidnapped many children for the Spartan programme…" The First chuckled.

"Not what I meant," John snapped. "Why was I taken from Georgia and Miranda when I was a few days old, and sent to another reality to live out the prime of my life?"

"I… That is not information stored in your mind," The First faltered.

"So you don't know everything!" John smiled.

"I know everything about you, your mother, and her wife's personal whore! I have known since you stepped out on to my Installation!" The First yelled.

"She's not a whore!" John nearly yelled.

"You barely know her, your parents and all their companions barely know her," The First said coldly. "I have scanned her mind, and know all her dark secrets, even those she has tried to hide from herself. If you knew her as I do, she would not be the figure of honour your parents view her as."

"You lie!" John snapped.

"Just wait, and you will see the truth, and your new world will fall down around your ears." The First said, before disappearing into the darkness, which now displayed scenes from his past.

John looked at the scenes, the memories pouring back into his mind, distracting him from his current mission. He saw images of; Installation 04, the monstrous Flood abominations, the Covenant fleet over Earth, the Gravemind, the Ark, fleeing on a Warthog whilst a Halo exploded beneath him. He shook himself out of the dark reminders, and knelt down, before doing something he'd never done before, he prayed for help.

"Mother, please, come back to us, we need your help!" He muttered, hoping that they'd be heard.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In a dark room, a figure stirred, a pair of gold eyes flashed open, illuminating the darkness.

"John!" she whispered.


	19. The One and Only

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She's back, but darker things lie ahead

Chapter 19: The One and Only.

Samara dropped down into the darkness, she tried summoning a ball of biotic energy to illuminate the darkness, but it didn't reveal much to her.

*Goddess, protect me!" she whispered, as the darkness was illuminated by pictures from her past, her long forgotten past.

"Greetings Samara T'…" The First said proudly, before she cut him off.

"I do not use that name anymore!" she snarled, her biotics flaring over her body. "I am not that person anymore."

"But it is you, even if you do not accept it!" The First gloated. "Why do you deny your past?"

"Because I've moved on since those days," Samara stated simply. "I gave up on that life when I became a Justicar."

"Did you really though?" The First asked, floating closer to her. "What made you so different from the other Justicars?"

"Most Justicars had notorious pasts before they followed the Code." Samara said defensively. "I was no different to them."

"Really?" The First probed. "Were they really like you?"

"I had a family, that's all that made me different from them!" Samara almost yelled at the infuriating monitor. "But I gave them up when I joined the Order… I had to… I do not regret it!"

"Oh I am not questioning your willingness to join the Justicars; I just see through the lies you created as to why, and how much of your past life you truly gave up when you became a Justicar." The First stated calmly. "Tell me, what made you join the Justicar order?"

"A need to do what was right; for once!" she said proudly. "Especially after I had spent several centuries committing horrendous crimes, I had to redeem myself in the eyes of my goddess, and my daughters."

"But can you redeem yourself of that much darkness? Did you fully leave that life behind?" The First asked, not letting her find a footing in their conversation. "The thing that made you different to the other Justicars was that you have a significantly higher body count than them, and still committed heinous crimes in the name of doing 'good'."

"They were unavoidable!" she said defensively. "I had no choice but to what was necessary to stop them."

"Really?" The First prodded the subject. "What happened to your bondmate?"

"She... She was killed in an accident," Samara said weakly, the emotions flooding back after centuries of being buried.

The First had tapped into a wound that the death of her daughter's had opened again, the pain she felt when her family had died.

"No! You know that is not true!" The First yelled. "How did she die?"

"I… They…" Samara stuttered, her emotions were exposed, she couldn't understand how this machine was getting under her skin. "I couldn't stop them."

"Of course you could not stop them; by your actions they had every right to seek revenge!" The First stated coldly. "They were getting justice for one of your crimes, even with your new 'Code'; you know that they were in the right to hurt you, like you hurt them."

"But my bondmate was innocent!" Samara said weakly.

"You brought it upon her! You tainted her!" The First yelled, Samara stared, as its voice had shifted, and mimicked her deceased bondmate. "But that wasn't what you thought at the time, how did you respond?"

"I… I wasn't thinking straight!" Samara said weakly. "My emotions dominated my judgement."

"Your anger dominated your judgement! You hunted them down, one by one, but even that wasn't enough for you!" The First snarled. "You killed them, their families, friends, associates and the leader was locked in a shuttle as it flew into a dying star!"

The images shifted to show bloodied corpses, flaming buildings, and a Turian shuttle flying towards a collapsing star. The First circled around her.

"But those were not the only sins you claimed to have given up when you 'settled' down with your three Ardat-Yakshi daughters." The First said coldly, adding to the torment. "Your guns and biotics were not the only tool you used to achieve your goals, you often acted like a common whore!"

"I did not!" Samara snarled, but her emotions were not fully centred on anger.

"It seems rather ironic that for your unbridled lust, your daughters were all Ardat-Yakshi, I think it appropriate penance for that sin!" The First laughed. "But that side of you was buried long before you found her. You never thought how your general would reawaken those feelings, and how hard you'd fall for her. Now you hunger for her and her alone, even though she is married to someone else."

"What difference does that make?" She snapped.

"You have not told her, have you? You do not want to be judged by the woman you now love!" The First yelled back. "Your past will taint her view of you, especially considering her relationship with your cousin!"

"I am nothing like her!" Samara growled.

"No, you are not like her!" The First laughed. "You were worse, and that is not something you are ashamed of!"

"I am…" Samara began, but The First cut in, and finished off its tirade.

"You are Samara T'Loak! You are everything you believe yourself to be the opposite of!" The First stated, before floating away. "The stains of your past will plague your present, and the one you love will leave you for betraying their trust."

Samara knelt down and began praying, but her emotions were still at war within her, eating away at her confidence and rational thinking. She'd buried her emotions after avenging her bondmate, only to feel them resurface when she met the strong-willed and beautiful Commander Shepard. As well the fear of what her goddess would think of her now, the emotions surrounding her now dead family burst to life as well, drowning her in fear, anger, and sorrow, all rational thought gone from her mind.

"Goddess, please forgive me!" she whispered. "I have not been faithful to you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Miranda walked up a small flight of stairs and found the control room. This revelation made her smile, until The First floated down from the ceiling, and it was immediaately apparent that the monitor was rather proud of itself.

"Hello Ms Lawson, I see you picked the right path in the darkness, but you have not won against me." The First chuckled.

"I'm Miranda SHEPARD! And I think I have won, as I've reached your precious control room." She smiled back, showing the monitor her wedding ring. "Now I am going to blow this Halo from existence."

"Not so fast Ms Lawson!" The First snarled.

Shields appeared over the controls, stopping Miranda from accessing the system.

"I beat your little challenge, you said you'd let me destroy this place!" She snapped, but the monitor did not flinch.

"You may have beaten me, but your son and your whore have lost" it said coldly, showing images of John and Samara kneeling on the floor. "One pleads for help, the other is lost in her emotions, and all because I broke them. YOU may have won this game, but I have won the war."

"How?" She asked, looking at the two holograms. "And if they were praying, I'd hear their voices in my head."

"They pray to a dead goddess. I showed them their true selves" The First boasted. "Your son is alone in this galaxy, he does not belong to you anymore."

"And Samara?" She asked, circling the monitor, which revolved so it was always looking back at her. "How did you break her?"

"I showed her who she truly is, and how she lied to those she loves because she is not ashamed of her dark past deep down." The First stated proudly. "She is not the righteous woman you think she is; she is a sadistic killer and whore. She is a viler than her cousin, your pet 'Queen of Omega'."

"Samara and Aria are related?" Miranda exclaimed.

"Correct!" The First said brightly. "Although she does not remember her, as Samara's façade is quite thick, Samara T'loak is very much alive."

"I don't believe that Samara has a worse history than Aria," Miranda shook her head. "That's not her way."

"She has deceived you!" The First chuckled. "Her crimes go above and beyond the dossier you collected on her for the Illusive Man; her blood red suit is a trophy of her kills and whorish past, it is not the customary garb of a Justicar, yet she wears it with the same pride and steely determination in achieving her goals."

"Why should I believe anything you say?" Miranda yelled, her biotics flaring into life.

"Because I have read your minds, as well as the files on your ship" The First said slowly, now circling her. "I know your deep dark secrets."

"I doubt a machine can do that!" Miranda laughed.

"Oh really?" The First asked. "Did your wife know you seek to control the Normandy crew more directly, and were instrumental in reorganising the roster?"

"That's not true!" she snapped. "And stop speaking like Georgia's dead, she's just comatose."

"She is dead my dear, the destruction of the other installations caused more damage, and she died of her injuries." The First laughed coldly. "It is a good thing too, as she would have hated how you secretly pulled strings to scatter the crew across the galaxy..."

"I don't believe you!" Miranda yelled, hurling a shockwave at the monitor, who floated out of its way. "She's not dead!"

"Believe it Ms Lawson, she is never coming back! You are all alone… again." The First said, floating right up to her face, until they were millimetres apart. "And now you are going to die!"

The monitor's red eye glowed brighter and brighter, and Miranda tensed for the incoming blast of energy, which she believed would kill her, she didn't know the limits of Georgia's blessing. At the last second, just as she closed her eyes in preparation, there was a loud bang, the sound of something exploding, and then a metallic bang, as something hit the far wall. Miranda slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She immediately realised that The First's laser blast had split the control panel in half, and the monitor was now on the floor in the corner of the room.

"Back away from my wife you little shit!" Georgia snarled, floating into the room as the Installation began to shake violently.

The First regained its position floating in the air, and looked at Georgia; Miranda could tell it was afraid.

"What! ... What's happening?" The First yelled, as the room continued to shake.

"Well you floating bedpan; your failed blast to kill my wife fried the system, and allowed Cortana to override your control and open up the most vital areas to the Prothean ships in orbit," Georgia said, gliding forward, as Miranda watched in amazement.

Her wife was back, but clearly more powerful and angrier than ever before, her tech armour was aflame, and her glowing eyes were blindingly intense as they focused on the floating monitor.

"I gave the order, and Warlord Barca's fleet have opened fire, your installation will soon be space dust" Georgia said coldly, grabbing the monitor and squeezing one of the curved struts, making it buckle under the intense pressure. "The Covenant have been utterly destroyed, all other Installations along with them, and now your precious Halo will follow."

"Impossible! You're supposed to be dead! They promised you would be dead and unable to interfere!" The First wailed, as Georgia continued to crush it down at an agonisingly slow pace. "Why did they deceive me?"

"Who did?" Georgia yelled.

"I… They… You have lost!" The First said weakly, before the light died out, and Georgia crushed it down to the size of a cue ball.

With The First dead, the lights came on around them, revealing John and Samara separated from them by panes of glass on either side. Georgia waved her hands and the glass was shattered by biotic shockwaves. John rushed over and hugged Miranda, whilst Georgia rushed to Samara's side.

"We've got to go!" Georgia yelled, as she cradled a crying, babbling Samara in her arms, before she ran toward the door. "The Halo is already breaking up; Barca's ships are a lot stronger than the Collectors were."

"I'm so glad to see you alive! That bastard said you were dead!" Miranda said, trying to keep up with her wife, who was striding at a brisk pace. "What happened?"

"The destruction of the other Halos meant my wound was mostly healed, but it took John's praying to wake me and return my mind to my body. I couldn't stay comatose when my son needed me, when my crew needed me." Georgia explained, as they hurried out of the control room, on to the Normandy. "You two get us out of here; I need to tend to Samara! I will not lose her now that we've won!"

John nodded and, together with Miranda, they entered the lift. John and Cortana exited into the CIC, whilst Georgia, Miranda, and the still babbling Samara continued up to the general's quarters.

-AN-

_I would like to warn readers that as of this chapter, I have only two more completed chapters, and am struggling to finish this Fanfic with work and other activities taking priority. I have also hit a block with one part, and would welcome suggestions for where this story could go, but John's plotline is complete in my mind. If I still have not written more chapters by the end of the month, I may put this story on hiatus until I can finish it in a satisfying manner. It is the last part of the Georgia Shepard trilogy, and though some themes flow into other stories I am working on, the main plotlines will be wrapped up by the end of Sierra Shepard._


	20. No Regrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Samara's past revealed

Chapter 20: No Regrets.

Georgia lay Samara down on her sofa, before cradling the Asari's head in her lap.

"Come on Samara, don't give in to its taunts!" she said quietly, staring into her glassy green eyes, knowing her mind was elsewhere. "I don't care about your past, sure it was bad, but that doesn't define who you are now!"

"I... I…" Samara said weakly, looking up into her goddess' gold eyes. "It…"

"It is dead and gone now. It was trying to get under your skin, but I know that you're stronger than that!" Georgia said softly, caressing the Asari's scalp crests gently.

"But… it knew everything!" Samara said feebly. "My bondmate… My daughters… My past crimes…"

"And?" Georgia smiled. "You know yourself better than it did. It is what you believe about your past that is the truth in this scenario, not the warped version it used against you."

"But it said that my past would make you … never look at me the same" Samara said, her hand shakily cupping Georgia's cheek. "I… don't want it to change how you view me."

"It won't Samara, I promise." Georgia whispered, leaning down. "Besides, it doesn't know me either."

She gently kissed Samara's forehead, which made the Justicar blush.

"You bless me goddess" Samara smiled softly, wiping away her tears.

"I do more than that my dear Justicar, I care for you deeply." Georgia said softly, before letting Samara sit upright beside her. "I've known about your past since we bonded, although we did not embrace eternity, I still saw into your mind, and I learnt everything about you."

"Why didn't you bring it up sooner?" Samara asked.

"Because I don't care, as I said a few moments ago, all I care about is who you choose to be now." Georgia smiled, Samara responded by nuzzling against her goddess.

"Is this alright my goddess?" Samara asked, looking up at Georgia with a hopeful look in her eyes.

"Of course, you've always been there for me; it's about time I'm here for you," Georgia chuckled.

"But, you now know I haven't always been how you remember me, I was a monster," Samara said quietly, "And it was right about one thing, I don't regret my actions, I learnt a long time ago that one should live without regret, no matter what."

"What about your emotions?" Georgia asked.

"I buried them to make myself untouchable as a Justicar, especially in hunting down my criminal daughter." Samara explained. "I could not let emotion dictate my actions when she threatened the galaxy."

"Do you wish they had not died?" Georgia asked.

"Rila died protecting her sister, her sacrifice was honourable," Samara said softly, her eyes watching the fish swimming around in the tank. "But I feel saddened that Morinth, Falare and Ash died when they had their lives ahead of them, it is a cruel fate that I live another life when they do not."

"Would you give some of your life to let them live again?" Georgia asked tentatively, and Samara looked at her in surprise. "I care about you Samara, I can see how much this really hurts you, and if you are willing to sacrifice years of your life, I will bring them back."

"Please goddess, I would be forever in your service," Samara pleaded.

"Let's not make such promises so hastily," Miranda laughed as she entered the room. "But I would grant her this Geo, it's the least you can do."

Georgia closed her eyes and focused on the space before her, her mind drawing the spirits of the departed crew members to her. Once she had them with her, she focused on restoring them to life, sacrificing years of Samara's new life to bring them back.

"Goddess protect us," Falare breathed, as the three women were huddled before them.

"I've done more than that," Georgia laughed.

"Ah!" Samara exclaimed, leaping across the room and hugging her daughters tightly. "Thank you!"

"It was nothing Samara," Georgia smiled as Miranda sat beside her on the sofa.

"Mother?" Falare breathed, looking at Samara confused. "What happened?"

"You died." Samara said quickly. "But I gave up years of my life to restore your lives!"

"Mother you shouldn't have," Morinth said as she hugged her mother.

"I could not spend a thousand years mourning you, when it should be you who have lives to lead." Samara said quickly. "But I must be completely honest with you; there are aspects of my past that I have kept from you, from all of you."

"Tell me about what happened." Georgia said softly.

Samara shook her head, shifting her hands so she was clasping her daughter's hands. Georgia and Miranda quickly moved so that they too were touching Samara's hands, with Georgia strengthening their bond for what Samara was clearly intending to do.

"I shall show you," She said quietly. "Embrace Eternity."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXFLASHBACK BEGINSXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_She had the bastard cornered, her damaged and blood-stained onyx armour was glowing with biotic energy, and there was nothing stopping her from making this bastard suffer. The victim of her wrath had fled to Omega, and hid behind a small army of mercs. But the mercs were no match, and they all lay dead behind her._

_"You monster!" she roared, and the Batarian quivered in fear for its life. "Why did you kill her?"_

_"You made it personal first bitch!" the Batarian said weakly, as she towered over it. "You crossed the wrong people, and she paid the price!"_

_"She was innocent!" Samara snarled, pinning his wrist, and then breaking it with a slight twist of her heel._

_"Association to you bloodied her enough, but we both know that her death was enough to make you suffer!" The Batarian snarled, cradling his broken wrist._

_"Who gave the order to have her driven into a tower block? Who demanded she die?" Samara snarled. "Talk or I'll break every bone in your body, one by one."_

_"I only know the tech they hired to hack the car!" the Batarian said quickly, as she pinned his ankle with her high heel._

_"Give me a name!" she said through gritted teeth!_

_"Cor'el!" he exclaimed, as she slowly twisted his ankle. "It was a Quarian called Cor'el Vas Quib-Quib, I'd never forget that ship's stupid name!"_

_"Thank you for your co-operation!" Samara said politely, stepping back and letting him get shakily to his feet._

_"Am I free to go? I've got a family waiting for me at home" the Batarian sighed with relief, still cradling his broken wrist, and leaning on his non-twisted ankle._

_"Oh you'll see them soon enough" Samara smiled innocently._

_"That's great, you know my youngest just said his first…" the Batarian began, but Samara cut him off._

_"In the afterlife!" she yelled._

_Before he could react, she blasted him into the wall, denting it with the impact and making a sickening cracking sound, as over one hundred bones were broken at the same time. Samara calmly hacked into his omni-tool, as his broken body slumped to the floor._

_"Cor'el… you're next!" she snarled, sending the Quarian a message using the dead Batarian's omni-tool._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_A short shuttle ride later and Samara quickly cornered Cor'el in the hangar of a Turian cargo ship._

_"Please… I was just following orders!" Cor'el begged, as Samara pinned her against a shuttle. "I'm innocent!"_

_"So was she!" Samara snarled, her hands bursting with biotic fire and slowly eating through the enviro-suit._

_"Please! Don't! I'll talk… I'll talk!" Cor'el pleaded, as her heads up display warned her that the fire would soon penetrate her suit._

_"Make it quick, my patience is atomically thin!" Samara snapped, stepping back._

_"I got a message, on my omni-tool" Cor'el said quickly. "It said to hack a specific shuttle and get it to crash. It specified that it must look like an accident, I knew whoever ordered it would kill me if I didn't obey!"_

_"You must know who ordered it!" Samara yelled, and the Quarian quivered in fear. "I need a name, or you'll need to fix a ruptured suit."_

_"I don't…" Cor'el said weakly, shrinking slightly as Samara raised a flaming fist to strike. "Wait… there was a name, Taerenar… Taerenar Vrykul."_

_"That bastard!" She snarled. "He's dead!"_

_"Can I go?" Cor'el asked feebly._

_"Sure, you can go…" Samara said calmly. "… For a space-walk!"_

_Before Cor'el knew what hit her, Samara ripped the Quarian's hood off and kicked her through the force field, into the vacuum of space._

_"Taerenar, that scaly bastard, I should have known he'd do something so heartless." She said under her breath, not watching the dead Quarian float away. "I'm going to prepare a little surprise for him."_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_"Ms Samara, you wanted to see me?" Taerenar called. He stepped out of his private shuttle, into an almost empty hangar; there was only one lone shuttle at the far end. "I can't think why, we haven't done business in three years!"_

_"You know why I called you here!" Samara yelled, ripping his shuttle apart, the explosion sending him flying into the other shuttle on the far side of the hangar. "You killed my bondmate!"_

_"I did no such thing my dear; I was on Palaven when that dreadful crash happened!" Taerenar said smugly. "There are many witnesses who can confirm that fact."_

_"I've gone through your associates Taerenar, that pathetic Batarian, Cor'el, so many others… I know you ordered it!" Samara snarled._

_"Ah, then you should have realised by now that I was in the right, you did shed far more blood than one Asari!" Taerenar smirked. "You did murder my family, so I murdered yours; your daughters will never know why mummy is never coming home!"_

_"Bastard!" she roared, punching him in the cheek and breaking one of his mandibles._

_"There's nothing you can do now, and if you don't leave right now, I'll have your daughters killed too," Taerenar laughed._

_"Fine, get out of here, but if you ever threaten my family again, I will not hesitate to kill you!" she growled, before storming out of the hangar._

_"You may think I'm a monster T'loak, but just look in a mirror and you'll see a real monster, one day you'll realise that!" he yelled as she stormed away._

_Samara ignored his further taunts as she headed for the bridge, knowing what was about to happen. She watched from the pilot's seat as the rigged shuttle flew toward a collapsing star, with Taerenar Vrykul trapped on board._

_"Good riddance!" she said coldly. "Now to see what he was carrying."_

_She docked the freighter with Taerenar's ship, and hurried aboard, finding no resistance._

_"Arrogant son of a Varren!" she laughed._

_She headed for the cargo bay, finding several large crates and racks of weaponry and armour. She opened the first crate and found boxes of red sand; the other two however, contained Asari slaves._

_"Are you with them?" one of them asked._

_Samara guessed her to be roughly one hundred, still just a maiden._

_'She's too young, too innocent for this.' A voice said in the back of her mind. 'She needs to be taught another way of living.'_

_"No, I'm not!" Samara said, stepping back and motioning for them to step out of the crates. "It's okay, they're all gone now."_

_"What will happen to us now?" Another slave asked, roughly the same age as the first._

_"You're not going into a life of servitude, there is another way," Samara said, without thinking about what she was going to say._

_"What other way? We only know how to serve," The first slave asked._

_"Then serve in a way that is not degrading, you have a long wonderful life ahead of you, but only if you seize this opportunity to turn over a new leaf." Samara said with a kind smile on her face._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Samara threw her armour into a trash compactor, and walked into her house in a simple leather suit that hugged her mature figure._

_"Mother!" three excited voices said excitedly._

_Before she could react, she was attacked by three thigh-high Asari children, who hugged her tightly, making her smile widen._

_"Morinth, Rila, Falare, have you been good for me?" She asked, kneeling down to look them in the eyes._

_"Yes mother!" they said in unison eagerly._

_She looked at each of them carefully, before her gaze settled on Morinth. Her bondmate had been right; she was the spitting image of her, except for the blood-stained past._

_"Mother, are you alright?" Rila asked, but Samara's mind was elsewhere._

_Morinth was exactly like she had been, before all the murder and anarchy and prostitution, and Samara knew that she didn't want the same life for any of her daughters._

_"Are you okay mother, is something wrong?" Falare asked, shaking Samara from her thoughts._

_"No my dear, everything is fine, everything is going to be perfect from now on…" Samara beamed, before hugging all three of her children._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXFLASHBACK ENDS XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"It must have hurt when I fell into that life," Morinth said as the meld faded.

"Yes, that's why I was so relentless in pursuing you; I didn't want your sisters to suffer like my bondmate did." Samara said softly.

"So, what happens now?" Miranda asked, feeling that the conversation had reached an impasse.

"I have only one request goddess," Samara said, sliding across the floor and kneeling before Georgia, with her head bowed. "Bless me to be your mortal right hand."

"Aren't I your right hand?" Miranda asked sidling up to Georgia, and putting an arm around her wife's waist.

"You're my left Miri; please remember I'm naturally left handed," Georgia laughed. "And Samara, I'm honoured you wish to be my right hand, but I don't need one."

"Please goddess, because that monster reminded me of my dark past, as well as my newfound love for you, I want to serve you as true penance for my sins." Samara pleaded.

"Why not ask for forgiveness" Falare asked.

"There is no forgiveness for my sins, I probably shed the same amount of blood as Sovereign did in the Citadel attack" Samara said bowing her head in shame. "I must atone."

"I have an alternative idea, which will redeem you of sins in my eyes, and hopefully yours as well." Georgia smiled a glint of promise in her eyes.


	21. I'm Not An Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Samara reborn, and the enemy reveals itself

Chapter 21: I'm Not an Angel.

The Normandy landed on the outskirts of Thessia, requesting that their presence remained low key as they had business to take care of in private. Samara and her daughters hurried out and stared in disbelief at the building before them.

"It can't be!" Samara breathed.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?" Georgia asked.

"How'd it survive the war?" Falare asked in response.

"Some could say it was divine will," Georgia smiled, and Samara stared at her in disbelief. "It was damaged, but I knew you'd return eventually, so I thought it should be nice for you."

"Thank you goddess," Samara said, before breaking down into tears, Miranda moved to support her. "This brings back many happy memories."

Miranda and John helped the Justicar to enter her old family home, with Georgia, Falare and Morinth following close behind. Inside they found the place ready for guests, and set out like they'd never had never left.

"Samara…" a voice said, and the Justicar turned, and her face went pale with shock.

"Impossible!" she breathed, gently shaking off her support and approached the ghosts of her bondmate and Rila.

"Nothing's impossible in the presence of a goddess" Miranda said softly. "Or two in this case."

"Hello my love, my children" Samara's bondmate said softly, which drew Samara's attention back to her. "It's been a long time since we last spoke."

"Too long…" Samara laughed weakly. "It's good to see you again; I'd almost forgotten your face."

"I understand," her bondmate said softly, before turning to look at Georgia. "Athame foresaw your rise Shepard, and I must thank you for this chance to speak to my bondmate again."

"No problem. Samara, care to introduce us" Georgia said as she stepped forward.

"Goddess, this is my… this is Sarina T'loak." Samara said, suddenly feeling awkward as she didn't know what Sarina was to her now. "And you remember Rila."

"Nice to see you again Shepard," Rila smiled. "Sisters."

"Rila," Falare and Morinth breathed, disbelieving their eyes.

"And it's nice to meet the woman who's captured my love's heart after years of isolation." Sarina smiled.

"Nice to meet you Sarina, and it's very nice to see you again Rila" Georgia said softly, managing to shake hands with the ghosts.

"I know why we're having this opportunity to speak," Sarina said suddenly, catching Samara off guard. "You need redemption for your past crimes, in order to live a new one. Though I overlooked your criminal acts to an extent, and hold no hatred for what you did when I was murdered, you need to find peace in your new life, and that means coming to terms with what you did."

"Indeed," Rila added. "You need to know the past is behind you, before embracing your goddess as a lover."

"Rila!" Samara snapped at her daughter's cheeky comment.

"It's okay my love, if she makes you happy then I'm okay with it." Sarina said, cupping Samara's cheek with her ghostly hand.

"So… how are we going to absolve me of all sins goddess?" Samara asked, after a few moments of coming to terms with the situation.

"Does this place have a large body of water we can use?" Miranda asked, knowing what her wife had in mind.

"The neighbours had a pool we'd take the girls to, but we never wanted one of our own," Samara said quickly, pointing toward the back of the house.

"How about a bath, do you have one of those we can use?" Georgia asked quickly, looking up to the second floor.

"We did have a bath... I remember it being quite big," Sarina smiled, and Samara blushed as the memories returned to her. "It should be more than big enough for you two; it could hold both of us."

"Excellent. Miri could you get the few crew members aboard the ship, there should be witnesses for this." Georgia asked.

"Of course Geo," Miri said brightly, before hurrying back toward the Normandy.

Samara led the others upstairs to the bathroom, where there was a small circular bath, the size of a hot tub, sunk into the floor.

"What do you wish of me goddess?" Samara asked, as Georgia's shifted her clothes so she was just in her bra and underwear, before she slipped into the large bath.

"Please remove all items of clothing and jewellery, and then join me in the water," Georgia smiled, as the water began to glow softly around her.

Samara nodded and without hesitating, dutifully removed her suit. As she took her Justicar collar off, the few crew members, who were on the Normandy, arrived and stood around the edge of the bathroom. Samara slowly stepped into the pool, the warm water bringing a smile to her face.

"What's going on general?" Diana asked, as the sight before her was completely bizarre. Two Asari ghosts with Miranda and John, both in full armour, standing around a small bath, where Georgia in her underwear was standing with a naked Samara.

"Something that will not leave the crew in terms of who knows about it," Miranda said sharply. "Samara is being baptized to fully absolve her of her past crimes, which is a story that can wait until afterward. Georgia has even summoned the spirits of Samara's deceased daughter and bondmate to complete this ceremony.""

"Though this is different because an actual goddess is performing the ceremony," Georgia joked, as she positioned Samara in a manner to help her perform a unique baptism of a crew member. "Miri, would you care to conduct it for me?"

"I think I only need to ask one thing. Samara; do you desire to be reborn as a true member of the Normandy crew, absolved of all past sins and crimes, able to live as you wish under your goddess and general?" Miranda asked, as Georgia placed one hand over Samara's heart, and the other supporting the base of her skull.

"I do!" Samara said boldly.

Georgia slowly pushed Samara backward, until she was submerged in the water, which glowed even brighter when the act was performed. As she was brought up again, Samara suddenly embraced Miranda and gave her a powerful kiss. The watching crew members, especially Falare and Morinth, weren't sure how to respond at first, but applauded when Samara beamed at them. She quickly sunk back into the water in order to keep her modesty, though John and her daughters had seen her completely naked before she had gotten into the bath.

"You are now reborn Samara, your life is a blank slate now, you may live it how you wish." Georgia said, hugging the Asari, who held on to her tightly. "Does this mean you need a new surname?"

"I choose T'Shepard as my new surname, in honour of the woman who gave me what many wish for," Samara beamed. "A fresh start."

"I'm honoured," Georgia smiled, before receiving a kiss from Samara as final thanks.

"Does the new name carry over to your daughters?" Miranda asked, looking to Falare and Morinth.

"We will follow our mother," they said after looking each other in the eye. "We owe much to our goddess like our mother, we are honoured to share her name."

The crew took this opportunity to wander back to the ship, leaving the Shepards, T'Shepards and ghosts alone in the bathroom.

"I think the others should be informed of everything as well goddess," Samara said slowly.

"Well, they will be returning soon, so we'll have the opportunity to get them up to speed then." Miranda said brightly, helping Samara out of the pool and handing her a towel.

"Not again!" Georgia growled, the other women looked over and saw the glowing blue water was tinged red with blood.

"You sure it's not that time of the month?" Morinth suggested, trying to be helpful.

"My womb is sterile, so I've never had a period," Georgia said brightly, slowly lifting herself out of the pool, to find another wound in her stomach. "This… this means something else has broken into my galaxy without permission."

"You'd let something in?" Miranda asked.

"Maybe, but… argh!" Georgia exclaimed as the pain hit her in full force.

"But we felt it best to enter unannounced." A familiar voice said from behind them.

They turned and their jaws dropped, as two versions of Shepard strode toward them. One was entirely robotic, almost like a Reaper in its construction, but it looked exactly like Georgia, with her eyes glowing gold. The other was completely fine at first glance, but upon closer inspection the skin was cracked and vivid red light escaped from underneath. Just like the robotic version and the original, her eyes glowed gold.

"This just got interesting" Samara sighed, as she wrapped a towel around her chest to cover her intimate areas.

-AN-

_I am going to put Sierra Shepard on a Christmas break, allowing me to work on the remaining chapters without the pressing time constraints of the weekly update. I shall resume posting new chapters in the early new year, i.e. January._


	22. Another Brick in the Wall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> alternate realities mean multiple problems for Georgia

Chapter 22: Another Brick in the Wall.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Georgia growled, but the two duplicates laughed.

"No joke, we are very real," the robotic copy said serenely.

"Though I'm more real than her, there's very little of the human her left." The cracked copy chuckled.

"Okay, if you're real, then who the hell are you?" Miranda said, cradling her wife who was doubled over holding her bleeding stomach.

"I am General Shepard, captain of the SSV Normandy SR-3." The two copies said in unison.

"We were both Commanders in the Alliance Systems Navy during the Reaper War, like you, but we both come from different realities to yours." The more human of the two said proudly. "We are almost identical to you in every regard, but we led different lives and chose different options atop the Catalyst."

"Oh really… what makes you so different from me?" Georgia snarled, blocking out the pain in her gut. "Other than the obvious physical differences we have."

"I ran the Normandy like a well-oiled machine, I never let anything get the better of me, and I was ruthless in the decisions I made, sparing no one if needed." The scarred version said boldly. "Atop the Catalyst I chose to control the Reapers, and the decision nearly killed me. When I was brought back, my subservient wife gave me the best care possible, but my underlying anger could not be hidden, hence the glowing scars."

"Whereas I was more gentle with my crew, and was a beacon of human kindness during some of the most stressful moments of my life." The robotic Shepard said smiling. "I chose to destroy the Reapers, and in the explosion I was destroyed."

"Then how are you here?" Samara asked.

"My crew and I visited the Reaper planet before the final battle, and with my goddess powers I was able to rebuild myself from the Reaper remains," the robotic woman smiled. "Much to the delight of my then girlfriend, but now she's my wife."

"Who would marry a robot?" Miranda chuckled.

"You." The metal Shepard smiled. "You didn't care what form I was in, you were overjoyed that I was alive again."

"And you?" Miranda asked, fearing the answer. "Who's your 'subservient' wife?"

"You are my dear, or at least, a more compliant, better version of you." The scarred general smiled coldly at her.

"So… you're the polar opposites of each other, and the extreme versions of what Georgia could have been under different circumstances." Samara surmised. "Are there any other differences between you and our Shepard?"

"Only minor personal ones and we each have different current crew rosters to you," the mechanical Shepard said simply. "But we do have different names to you; I am Zoe, she is Lauren."

"Great, why are you here?" Georgia growled, anger building inside her. "Why did you break into our reality, and my galaxy?"

"All in good time, but we did not break in, the door was opened for us by someone else. We should find somewhere more comfortable and private to talk," Zoe stated coldly. "Just us Shepards."

"Fine by me, we'll talk in my quarters, but be aware that I don't trust either of you, and want you gone as soon as possible." Georgia snarled.

"We'll see, you never know Georgia… you might grow to like having us around." Lauren said innocently, as they left Samara's former family home. "You may not realise we're even here."

"Good bye my love, you'll always be here" Sarina said to Samara with her hand on her heart, as the four Shepards outpaced her.

"We love you mother" Rila smiled.

"I love you both, I'll never forget either of you," Samara said weakly, before the ghosts of her lost loves faded away.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"It's a nice ship, quite quiet though," Zoe said politely as they entered Georgia's quarters. "Where's your crew?"

"Out, we've just dealt with unwelcome visitors from another reality where my son spent most of his life," Georgia said flatly. "Would you two happen to know anything about that?"

"No, why?" Zoe asked.

"Why? Because… He was sent to another reality and was forced to endure a life equally as traumatic as mine, before returning to this one, moments after he'd disappeared." Georgia nearly yelled. "And that's the sort of thing a goddess could do, but it definitely wasn't me."

"We did not know you had children until after we arrived" Lauren smiled. "We don't have children, we are amazed you do."

"That's a lie!" Miranda yelled, catching the three Shepards off guard. "Mere moments ago you spoke like you knew everything about her, every aspect of her career, how could you miss something like our children."

"You seem to think it takes time for goddesses to learn things, for us it was mere seconds," Lauren laughed. "But we are still in mortal form, so we are prone to mistakes." Though this statement reeked of lies, and Georgia knew it.

"She's not in mortal form, she's a fucking robot!" Miranda yelled, pointing at Zoe.

"I am human in shape, but divine in spirit, but you must know from thousands of years of religion that every deity is not perfect," Zoe stated. "Even gods and goddesses get something wrong every now and then." Georgia noted a sideways glance from Zoe to Lauren.

"Don't deflect the topic!" Georgia said, leaping to her wife's side.

"We're not, we are defending ourselves from your accusations," Lauren retorted. "You are deflecting by accusing us without proof or reason."

"You're not making your stay here bearable, that's a fact!" Georgia stated, as she stemmed the bleed in her abdomen.

"We're sorry that our entry has caused you harm, that was not our intent" Lauren stated flatly, clearly annoyed by Georgia. "But there is more going on than you realise."

"Right, if you felt it best to enter unannounced, why not do so in a way that wouldn't cause her harm?" Miranda asked as she put her arm around Georgia's waist.

"Well, if you want the bleeding to stop, you can confirm us as a part of this reality." Lauren said coldly.

"No chance! You are going to tell me why you're here, do whatever you need to do, and get the fuck back to your own reality!" Georgia snarled. "Because you two being here isn't good for my health. So I ask again, do you know anything about what happened to my son!"

"Why would we do anything to harm you?" Zoe asked. "Why would we tear your son from you?"

"Stop speaking like Geth!" Miranda snapped, before freezing, as the two foreign Shepards had slipped up in their defence. "How did you know about John being ripped from our side? We only said he was forced to live in another reality."

"Oh why did I have to gloat so much?" Zoe sighed. "Seems like we have to move our plans forward Lauren."

"What plans?" Georgia snarled, getting to her feet and standing between the alternate Shepards and Miranda.

"Don't you worry about that; I would be more preoccupied with what your 'wife' has been keeping from you." Lauren sneered, before she clicked her fingers and The First's metallic voice echoed through the room.

_"Did your wife know you seek to control the Normandy crew more directly, and were instrumental in reorganising the roster?"_

_"That's not true!" Miranda snapped. "And stop speaking like Georgia's dead, she's just comatose."_

_"She is dead my dear, the destruction of the other installations caused more damage, and she died of her injuries." The First laughed coldly. "It is a good thing too, as she would have hated how you secretly pulled strings to scatter the crew across the galaxy..."_

"What?" Georgia exclaimed, wheeling around to face Miranda.

"We'll leave you two alone," Zoe said smiling, before she and Lauren faded away.

-AN-

_I will hopefully return to weekly posting, but with a demanding job and other personal matters taking up most of my time I cannot promise that each update will be weekly._

_I apologise for the two month hiatus, but as mentionned above, my life has kicked into a higher gear, and I'm trying to manage multiple things at once. I have mostly finished Sierra Shepard, only a few chapters left, but as I post I will make alterations before posting._

_NilioJ13_


	23. Mz Hyde

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Explaining the situation

Chapter 23: Mz Hyde.

"When were you going to tell me you were tearing our family apart?" Georgia asked, fury burning inside her at this deception. "I know we've had secrets in the past, but this is different, why hide this from me? Why did we not talk about this?"

"Because the crew are not our family; they're not the 'family' who should truly matter and be kept close! Miranda replied, pointing at the three baby cribs. "They are. We are family, and the crew, the 'cult of Shepard', they're our friends."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Georgia sighed.

"Because I knew that their desire to leave would hurt you deep down!" Miranda said, getting to her feet and making eye contact with her wife. "You blessed me with hearing the galaxy's prayers, and that includes the Normandy crew, how could I possibly tell you that many of them wanted more than being confined to this ship for eternity?"

"Why did they not come to me with this?" Georgia said frustrated, turning to face the fish tank. "I've always been open with them; surely if they wanted to leave they could come to me, instead of praying for a way off behind my back."

"They… they knew you would be upset, especially when they heard you wanted to keep Wrex alive, even though it was his time." Miranda said slowly, knowing that she was on conversational thin ice.

"How did you do it?" Georgia asked after a slight pause.

"I have my contacts, plus the name 'Shepard' opens a lot of doors, especially for those who fought at the great Commander's side." Miranda said, looking down at the floor.

"So you used my name against me," Georgia said slowly.

"No! I used their history with you to give them the best possible future, just like we have a great future together," Miranda said softly, wrapping her arms around Geo's waist. "I love you, I always have, but having the crew with us until the end of time is not fair on us, and it's not fair on them."

"I… I know," Georgia sighed, resting her head against the cool fish tank glass. "I guess I'm having a hard time letting go of the glory days. We did so much, became so close, we are family in a weird way."

"We ARE family… in a way. But you have a family here, and you need to give them the chance to settle down and make their own family away from this ol' warship." Miranda said softly, her head resting on Georgia's shoulder. "They'll stay in touch, and you must not forget the bleeding obvious, you're the goddess now, you could blink and be halfway across the galaxy."

"Heh, might need to try that," Georgia laughed, before her mood dropped. "Something still doesn't sit right with me."

"How so?" Miranda asked.

"I'm not sure… I need time to think." Geo said, kissing Miri on the cheek and quickly moving toward the door. "I love you."

"I love you," Miranda said softly as the doors closed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Commander," Kasumi smiled, as the crew stopped in front of her. "All the Halos have been destroyed and the Covenant is kaput. Is the general awake now?"

"Yes, and I'm sure if she was here, she'd be very thankful of your actions." Miri smiled.

"And where is she?" Zaeed asked.

"I don't know," she said slowly, twiddling her fingers. "We had a slight… argument."

"Oh? Is there some trouble on Olympus cheerleader?" Jack laughed.

"Not exactly," Samara said, coming to Miranda's defence. "Something has come up and the situation is infinitely more complicated than you realise."

"We're listening," Garrus said slowly.

"Let's all gather in the CIC, I think you should be told everything, and that everyone should be kept informed."

They followed their commander into the old CIC, quickly filling the sofas, with their attention fixed on Miranda. She waited until Di, Samantha and John had joined them, before speaking up and explaining the current situation.

"I guess it started with Installation 01, and the monitor that called itself 'The First'…" Miranda began, before explaining everything that had happened up to the appearance of the alternate Shepards.

"Wait… What?" Aria exclaimed at the reveal, her eyes fixing on Samara. "You claim to be my dead cousin?"

"I do not claim, I was Samara T'loak, but now I have been reborn as Samara T'Shepard." Samara said proudly, her two daughters shifting into their mother's embrace, feeling more admiration and love for their Justicar mother. "What would it take to make you believe we are related by blood?"

"Your birthmark!" Aria smiled, putting her arm around Liara's waist and pulling her closer, feeling confident that Samara would not have the distinct birthmark.

Samara gave her a curt smile, before unzipping her boot and slipping it off. As the boot hit the floor, Aria let out a sharp gasp. Clearly visible on her sapphire blue foot, just above the ankle, was a dark purple birthmark roughly in the shape of a scythe.

"So… My cousin, the one person in the galaxy with a legacy greater than mine, isn't dead?" Aria said, her anger slowly rising. "And to make it worse, she's a fucking Justicar?"

"Nice to see you've finally recognised me," Samara said, her shoulders dropping as a long-buried side of her personality rose to the surface. "I knew you were not the brightest azure in our family, but not recognising your own flesh and blood when she's living on the same ship as you, that is just unbelievable."

"There's the cousin I knew," Aria smirked. "And you don't look for someone you believe died in a car crash, especially when they become a Justicar, the opposite of who they were."

"Ladies! Please save your infighting for later!" Miranda exclaimed when it became clear that weapons would soon be involved.

"What happened after Samara was baptised?" Liara asked, also eager to move the conversation away from the T'loaks.

"After the baptism is when things got complicated," Miranda said slowly. "Geo suffered another spontaneous laceration, caused by the appearance of two alternate, deified, polar-opposite Shepards."

"What?" the crew exclaimed.

"You heard me, two alternate versions of Shepard from different realities, who are also goddesses." Miranda said quickly, as though it was the most natural thing in the world. "One is pure evil, and her body reflects that. The other is supposedly nice, but she inhabits a body made from Reaper metal, and is working with the evil one."

"So… they're polar opposites of each other?" Garrus asked.

"And of what our Shepard could have been, if things had been different," Miranda added. "But the important thing is that they are behind everything that has happened in the past month. They threw John into the foreign reality, and brought him back with the Halos and the Covenant, they kept Barca and his army hidden until the Protheans attacked, we don't know what other things they've had a hand in, but it does seem clear that their plan is not finished."

"This is insane!" Sam spluttered.

"Since when is anything we do normal?" Ashley asked quickly.

"But alternate realities? Alternate versions of Shepard? This is beyond anything we've encountered!" Sam stammered.

"What do we do now? How do we beat these intruders?" Morinth said eagerly.

"I don't know, they're goddesses as well, and they left after inciting me and Geo into arguing." Miri sighed. "I don't know where they are or what they're planning, but we cannot let them win."


	24. These Are The Days Of Our Lives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> checking in with the crew

Chapter 24: These Are The Days Of Our Lives.

"Evening Di, how are you?" Miranda beamed, as she entered Allers' room.

"Fine, I'm just doing some research on your wife," Diana sighed, scrolling through extranet sites, and her desk was littered with military reports labelled [CLASSIFIED].

"How's it going?" Miri asked.

"I've got a basic draft in place, skeletal paragraphs for most chapters, and I've asked the crew members to record their own perspectives on our esteemed General." Diana explained, showing the rough draft on her datapad. "Is there anything you wish to add at this stage?"

"No, I'm sure Geo will be happy with what you're doing, and I'm positive you will be rewarded." Miranda said, bending down and giving Di a hug. "If not from her, then I'll certainly reward you."

"I'll believe it when it happens, but I'm not doing this for a reward. I'm mostly doing it because she's a fascinating woman, and I never realised how interesting she was until I read this one." Diana chuckled, returning to reading a file labelled 'Project Lazarus.' "I knew bits and pieces about the project, its aims and the outcome, but I was blown away by the details."

"I concur, Project Lazarus was certainly a unique experiment with beneficial results, though they were not entirely in Cereberus' interests." Miranda chuckled dryly. "Is the Council giving you any trouble in digging up her records?"

"Not at all Commander! In fact, Steven Hackett was very keen in helping; he opened many doors for me. " Diana said brightly. "I believe his words were 'if people knew what she went through for us, the definition of hero would be forever changed.' Rather poetic I think for an old soldier."

"Well, when you need me to add my perspective, don't hesitate to come to me." Miranda said softly holding Di against her, which confused the PR woman.

"Is something wrong Commander?" Di asked, though she was not complaining about the affectionate embrace.

"Yes, but I'm not sure how to ask it." Miranda said, relinquishing from the hug and looking into Diana's eyes.

"Does it involve this uncomfortable atmosphere that's overtaken the ship?" Di asked quickly.

"Yes... I guess I was wondering what you are going to do after you finish the biography." Miranda asked. "I don't mind if you want to leave, you were never bound to ride this ship until the end."

"I think as your PR woman, I'm with you for the foreseeable future, especially until the publicity for this book comes to an end." Di laughed.

"Well, if you need a life away from the Normandy, just ask." Miranda said as she stepped back toward the door. "I'm only a prayer away."

"Please don't use that line, its awful!" Di laughed. "See you later Commander."

"See you later Di," Miranda replied, turning and leaving the small room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Miranda stepped out of the lift and into the CIC, to find Samara, Falare, Morinth and Ashley sitting on one sofa, with Aria and Liara sitting opposite them. Before she sat down in a chair to moderate their conversation, she noted that Kasumi was doodling on the blank wall with a board marker.

"So ladies, are you keeping it a civil family reunion?" Miranda asked.

"As civil as a T'loak get-together can be," Aria said curtly.

"I'm not a T'loak anymore, neither are my daughters," Samara replied.

"You're a T'loak by blood, and that's something you can't change!" Aria retorted, stiffening as anger welled up inside her.

"Ladies!" Miranda snapped, silencing both sides. "Please talk about something other than your surnames. How about your relationships, Aria you're with Liara, Falare's dating Ash, surely you can talk about that."

"So… the goddess brought you three back, for how long? And how many years do you have left 'Samara'?" Aria asked, phrasing her questions carefully.

"Only the goddess knows how long my children shall live, but I shall only live till the age of one thousand five hundred," Samara said softly.

"Only another five hundred years?" Aria laughed. "You were always lucky, I almost wish I was as pious as you, but my life has been unforgettable and exactly how I wanted it, so I don't care that I'm at the end."

"Jeez, bring the room down why don't you," Morinth sighed.

"Shut it abomination!" Aria snapped at her niece. "Fine, I'll be upbeat. Falare, my dear 'niece'; I was wondering, when are you going to marry this pious piece of human ass?"

"Aria! Please be civil!" Samara snapped, while Falare became flustered and hurried to the lift.

"You've scared her off!" Ashley yelled at Aria, quickly getting to her feet.

Before either woman could come to blows, Jack appeared from the firing range and trapped the two groups in biotic bubbles.

"Thank you Jack, that almost got out of hand," Miranda sighed, while Aria raged in silence, the bubbles seeming to mute the occupants. "How'd you know?"

"I could hear them, even over the sound of machine gun fire," Jack said plainly. "Should we put the 'Queen' in my room for a bit?"

"Why not," Miranda sighed again. "Let the others go, but escort Aria to the vault."

Miranda stood up and focused, quickly vanishing from the room in the blink of an eye.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next stop was the mess hall, where she found the several crew members playing cards around the central table. She sat down with them and watched them play, deciding that divine powers were an unfair advantage.

"So Miranda, alternate reality Shepards, can this ship get any weirder?" Zaeed asked.

"Other than the almost human AI controlling it, the two goddesses who own it, and the crew that includes three people who've returned from the dead... I don't think so." Miranda laughed. "Plus there's the last Justicar, the Shadow Broker, the 'queen of Omega', the most powerful biotic in the galaxy and..."

"Jack is hardly the most powerful," Garrus chuckled, though Zaeed disagreed.

"She survived in the vacuum of space without a suit, the only thing that saved her was her biotics," he spat back.

"Easy Zaeed," Karin cautioned him. "Stress is not good at our age, especially not for someone who has lived so avariciously."

"Fancy words doc, but I'll not let him belittle her!" Zaeed growled.

"Why is she so important to you?" Shiala asked.

"They're related," Miranda answered. "In a way not even I can believe."

"How?" everyone around the table asked.

"He's her biological father," Miranda smiled, and all eyes turned to Zaeed.

"Care to explain?" Garrus asked, but at that moment, Jack entered the conversation.

"What you idiots talking about?" she laughed, barging in to sit between Zaeed and Shiala.

"You," Karin said honestly. "We just learnt that Zaeed's your biological father."

"How the fuck is that possible?" Jack exclaimed, looking to Zaeed.

"Ask her," he pointed at Miranda. "She's the bloody goddess here, she probably knows everything."

"Almost everything, Geo's the one with most of the power." Miranda corrected him. "Why don't you tell your side, and I'll fill in the blanks."

"Fine." Zaeed grumbled, showing his hand and pulling the winnings toward him. "Must have been nearly thirty years ago, shortly after I got this," he pointed to his scarred eye. "Some shady bastards came to me with an offer, they'd give me a lot of money for some... samples."

"What kind of samples?" Chloe asked.

"Skin, blood, bone marrow... you get the idea," Zaeed said vaguely. "Seemed a rather favourable trade, things I had in abundance, for something I didn't at the time. They were reluctant to say what they wanted it for."

"Cerberus wanted samples for a secret project, one of the many splinter groups had a plan, and they felt Zaeed would make a great donor." Miranda interrupted.

"What were they planning, and did it work?" Karin asked.

"They wanted to create a super-powered biotic human, and they felt Zaeed's survival of a point-blank shot to the head could be passed on, they thought your survival skill could help their subjects survive their experiments, or worse."

"What? My file said I was abducted when I was a child!" Jack yelled. "You saying that was a lie?"

"Abduction was a common cover for illicit Cerberus activities, though many children were kidnapped for the Teltin facility, you were not." Miranda explained. "That's why you were so special, that's why they did everything they could to keep you alive."

"Why was it not in my file?" Jack snarled.

"Cerberus was not one whole cohesive unit under the Illusive Man, there were many groups that did not communicate. You and Geo essentially wiped out the the most distant groups, leaving the Illusive man to control the rest, and we all know how that turned out." Miranda continued.

Jack looked at Zaeed suspiciously, before speaking.

"Why did you not tell me when we met?" she asked.

"Didn't realise you and I were related, or that we were connected until we nuked that facility," Zaeed said slowly. "I recognised one of the guys in the holo-recordings, he was one of the men who approached me."

"And you didnt say anything?" Jack snapped.

"You were not emotionally stable, I knew it unwise to stick my neck out at that time," Zaeed said quickly. "Especially as you're essentially the result of a similar project as Miranda."

"What?" Jack yelled, clearly fighting the urge to flip the table.

"Miranda was designed to be genetically perfect, to be the most beautiful, most intelligent, and most cunning human, though that was more of a vanity project by her father." Karin said, trying to calm the psychotic biotic. "From what I've heard, you were designed to be the toughest, and biotically powerful human, with the intention of making you a weapon for Cerberus."

"Well that failed, for Cerberus and cheerleader's daddy," Jack laughed.

"You and Miranda are like yin and yang, beauty and brains versus brawn and..."

"Badassness?" Jack laughed.

"Persistence," Karin corrected. "But we can finish this talk later. Commander, why have you joined our little game, it's not for reuniting Jack and Zaeed."

"I was wondering about what you are all going to do after this current situation is resolved?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Miranda had brief conversations with the crew both individually and in groups, finding that most were content to stay on the ship for the immediate future. But they all agreed that they would stay with Georgia for the immediate future, and once they had established a life away from the ship, they would leave and live their own life. As she entered the engine room, she found Tali lying on her small bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Are you okay Tali?" she asked, and the Quarian tilted her head to look at her.

"Do we have to leave?" she asked, her green eyes meeting Miranda's gold eyes.

"Pardon?" she asked, entering the confined room and bending down to be on the same level as Tali.

"Do we really have to leave the Normandy? Are you forcing us away?" Tali asked, ushering Miranda to sit beside her.

"No, we're not forcing you, but we're giving you the option to start a life of your own, away from this ol' warship." Miranda said softly. "We're not forcing you to stay, that's all this is, a chance to live your life away from this ship."

"I… I want to stay," Tali said nervously. "The Normandy has been the centrepiece to the formative years of my life, and I don't want it to stop. Plus Kasumi and I are working on something in the CIC."

"Tali…" Miranda sighed.

"No! You're only doing this because those imposters forced you into it! I'm not going because they played you into making this decision, I will stay until I feel I should go, and you cannot make me." Tali nearly yelled, but Miranda was thrown by something she had said.

"Wait… what did you say?" She breathed.

"I'm not leaving!" Tali said boldly.

"No, before that," Miranda said quickly.

"Those imposters made you take this decision?" Tali asked.

Miranda stood bolt upright, quickly grabbing Tali and kissing her on the cheeks, before hurrying from the room.

"See you later… I guess." Tali said after recovering from the sudden kiss from her XO.


	25. I Was A Fool

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An awful epiphany, and an agreement with the Warlord

Chapter 25: I Was A Fool.

"Geo! We've been played! Those bitches are trying to..." Miranda said quickly as she strode into their room, but she quickly realised Georgia was absent. "Geo?"

"She's not here, but we are," Zoe said softly.

Miranda wheeled around and found the alternate Shepards waiting for her.

"I'm afraid you're too late, everything I have done is irreversible now" Lauren laughed. "There's nothing you can do to change the future."

"Geo…" Miranda yelled, but Zoe grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the ground.

Zoe's cold metal hand cut off Miranda's airway, choking her until she passed out. The Reaper-form of Zoe Shepard then continued to hold Miranda by the throat, and carried her towards the mirror. With a fraction of her power, she imprisoned her foe's wife in the mirror, dropping her on the floor of the reflected room.

"It will take more than just Georgia to get her out of there as I gave you some of my power, just as I planned." Lauren smirked. "Have you taken care of the other matter?" Zoe nodded.

"What the hell is going on?" Georgia yelled, storming into the room to find both alternate Shepards standing by the door. "Where's Miri?"

"She's… deep in reflection." Zoe said simply, pointing at the unconscious Miranda in the reflected room.

"Get her out of there now!" Georgia yelled.

"I don't think so; she was trying to stop us." Lauren said curtly, while Zoe remained unusually quiet.

"Stop you from doing what?" Georgia snarled.

"What must happen, everything we have done, is for the betterment of this reality…" Lauren smirked. "I am a necessary evil."

"What?" Georgia roared.

"Never you worry, just don't keep your crew around much longer, or they'll suffer for their faith." Lauren said, not realising that Zoe seemed to disagree.

"If you touch them, you die!" Georgia yelled, summoning her armour and omni-tool.

Before she could dismember either of the opposing Shepards, they blurred together and vanished.

"Geo!" Miranda called from the mirror. "Help me!"

"I am afraid she cannot help," EDI stated, her metallic body walking calmly into the room as if summoned, while Georgia pawed at the mirror. "I heard them say it would take 'more' than just Georgia to get you out!"

At that moment Kasumi walked in, hot on the heels of EDI.

"Hey Shep, I was wondering if…" she paused when she saw the situation before her. "I'll come back, seems you're very busy reflecting."

"I'll get you for that awful pun!" Miranda yelled, though Kasumi ignored her. "How the hell do I get out of here?"

"I… I don't know," Georgia said, resting her forehead on the mirror, seeing Miranda do the same. "All this power and I can't save you."

"Can you not create another goddess and get me out that way?" Miranda asked softly.

"I get the feeling that is what they meant," Georgia replied. "It would just be a part of my power in another body, not another, separate goddess."

The two women leant against the glass on both sides, each perfectly reflecting the other.

"Geo, I'm sorry…" Miranda said after minutes of silence.

"For what?" Georgia chuckled.

"For trying to get you all to myself without asking you," Miranda replied. "I shouldn't have gone behind your back; I just… love you so much."

"I love you too," Georgia breathed. "And I do understand your reasoning, but it does hurt that you did it without telling me."

"You're a goddess; I'm surprised you're not all-knowing." Miranda laughed.

"I let my subconscious handle most of the goddess stuff, letting my conscious mind focus on my own life." Georgia said nonchalantly. "Guess if I focused I'd have known the moment you did that, but I was probably distracted by something."

"Goddess!" Samara said urgently, bursting into the room but stopping dead when she saw the situation before her. "What happened?"

"They trapped Miri in a mirror, but I managed to kill Zoe," Georgia said quickly, rising to her feet and facing the Justicar. "What's so urgent?"

"John's gone," she said quickly, and both Shepards went pale.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I'll wipe both of those bitches from existence for what they've done!" Georgia roared as she paced back and forth, using a fraction of her power to keep her two infants happy while their mother vented her anger in front of them. "When I catch them, I'll make her wish she never left her twisted reality! I'll tear Zoe to pieces, make her into the scrap she's made from!"

"Were they really equals?" Miranda asked, her mind picking up on something. "It did seem that Lauren was more dominant than Zoe, as if she was the puppet master and she knew her puppet was done for."

"So she's the real villain?" Samara asked, moving forward and stopping Georgia from pacing. "How are we going to defeat her goddess?"

"I… I don't know…" Georgia sighed. "I don't know how I'm going to stop her, I don't know how to get John back, and I don't know how to get Miri out of the mirror. I'm sorry if this…"

"I believe in you goddess, I always have and always will," Samara cut in. "I understand that you're searching for answers in this situation, as it goes above and beyond the concerns of your galaxy , so you do not know how to proceed."

"I really wish I could kiss you right now!" Miranda growled from the mirror. "You're giving her hope even in this dark hour."

"She was there for me, it is only right that I am here for her." Samara said proudly.

"All this power and I could not see that they sent my son to another reality... AGAIN!" Georgia said punching the wall beside the mirror. "How could I see not see... Wait..."

"Goddess?" Samara asked hesitantly.

"What was it Sarine said about me becoming a goddess?" Georgia asked, moving toward Samara, making the usually bold Justicar step back.

"She said she foresaw your rise" Miranda replied.

"Right... She 'foresaw' it, meaning she could see the future, but how?" Georgia thought to herself. "And if my power is derived from the Leviathan's galaxy shaping power, how is Athame a goddess?"

"I... I never thought about that..." Samara breathed. "Ever since we learnt about the Leviathan's power, I never questionned where Athame fitted into the picture."

"None of us did," Miranda smiled. "What are you thinking Geo?"

"EDI, take us back to Thessia," Georgia said after a pregnant pause.

"As you wish my goddess," EDI replied.

"Samara, contact Councillor Tevos, we'll need her help to access the Temple of Athame. Plus, I don't think we'll want to be interrupted with what I've got in mind." Georgia explained.

"I will make contact with her immediately, we have been in frequent communication recently, the rebirth of the Justicar Order is almost complete." Samara smiled. "Perhaps you could help finalise its rebirth?"

"Of course," Georgia said, caressing Samara's cheek. "Anything for those I love."

"What exactly are you planning, and why does it involve the Temple of Athame?" Miranda asked.

"We're going back to the Temple of Athame as its the perfect place for what I have in mind."

"Which is?" Samara asked.

"I'm going to summon Athame," Georgia said proudly. "I believe she can help me get you out of that mirror, and possibly end those bitches interference once and for all!"

"Do you plan on informing Tevos of your divinity?" Samara asked.

"If I need to; do you think she can be trusted with this truth?" Georgia replied.

"Her time as Councillor is coming to an end, and I believe Liara is posed to take her place," Samara explained. "Plus the gravity of this truth is something she will find hard to release to the wider galaxy without sounding deranged."

"Touché" Georgia laughed. "Well we'll find out soon enough, it won't take us long to reach Thessia."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The moment Thessia appeared in the cockpit windscreen, the Normandy shook violently as multiple larger ships appeared on all sides, the largest of which caught it in a tractor beam. It took Georgia a moment to realise what was going on, and she instantly focused on appearing before the one responsible for delaying her plan.

"What do you want Barca?" Georgia snarled.

"We have unfinished business." Barca chuckled, once again looking out the window at Thessia, rather than addressing her directly. "I thought my AI had made that clear during your last visit?"

"I'm well aware of your business with me, but I am currently dealing with a much more pressing matter." Georgia sighed.

"Oh? May we be of some assistance?" Barca asked, turning his head slightly. "The battle over that ring world has reawakened my lust for battle."

"It is not a situation that can be solved with armies," Geo said flatly. "And I'd quite like it if you'd keep your composure, especially if you plan on re-joining the galaxy as equals."

"As you wish," he said, turning back to stare at Thessia. "Do you know why I have business with you?"

"I'm guessing you want to bypass some of the formalities in re-joining my galaxy, such as settling down on certain planets." Georgia replied.

"Correct." Barca said curtly.

"I'm afraid that would be wrong, and incredibly complicated." Georgia said slowly, seeing Barca tense at the rejection. "Ilos will make a perfect planet to start recolonizing, and it would be much simpler to naturally acclimatise to the galaxy, than to just wish past it. You have waited centuries to return, why would you now want to spoil what you have earned through patience?"

"I... I did not think of it like that... All this time waiting and I never thought beyond conquest." Barca bowed his head. "I will send my fleet to Ilos, and make contact with 'Javik', maybe he can help his people acclimatise like he has."

"I will do what I can for your people as well, but I will not do everything for you." Georgia said quickly.

"I would not respect you if you treated my people like children, because to us, you are children." Barca chuckled, turning to face her at last. "Though I may not worship you... Yet... I have read and heard about you on the 'holonet', and at the very least, I respect you as a fellow soldier and leader."

"And I respect you," Georgia said, holding out a hand, which the Warlord shook. "Good luck to you and your people in finding their place again, please don't think of conquering and rebuilding your empire, those days are gone."

"I know," Barca retorted, before he softened slightly. "I wish you luck in your 'situation'."

"Thank you Warlord," Georgia bowed, before freeing the Normandy from the tractor beam, and disappearing from the flagship's bridge.


	26. Princes of the Universe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new hope

Chapter 26: Princes of the Universe.

The Normandy landed outside the Temple of Athame, immediately drawing crowds of Asari and other races, all eager to see what General Shepard was doing on Thessia. Though none of them knew that it was her second visit in less than a week to the Asari homeworld.

"General Shepard, it is an honour to have you back on Thessia," Tevos said warmly, giving her a courteous salute, before extending a hand for her to shake. "I'm afraid that the crowds are a side effect of your arrival leaking out. You were lucky last time as you landed on the outskirts of the city, but now you're in the heart of our capital, this level of attention is unfortunately unavoidable."

"Nice to see you Councillor, and I do not mind the crowds," Georgia chuckled, flanked by her crew, minus Miranda. "I trust you know why we're here?"

"I know why Justicar Samara is here, I assume that you're accompanying her?" Tevos said uncertainly.

"Something like that," Samara smiled, giving a sideways glance to Georgia. "Have all the preparations been made?"

"Yes, despite their irregularity and my term reaching its end, I have ensured that the temple will be empty and isolated for you." Tevos said quickly, leading them towards the entrance. "May I ask why you wish to be undisturbed? And more importantly, what exactly you're planning on doing in this sacred place?"

"It's a religious matter, and you must have faith in Athame, for she will show us the way," Samara said serenely, her eyes fixed on the large statue of Athame. "You may come with us, but no one else."

"Thank you Justicar, or should I say, Grand Justicar," Tevos smiled, and this statement caught Samara by surprise. "You're the last Justicar, and if you plan on rebuilding it, you must take that honoured position."

"I understand, thank you Councillor," Samara stammered, looking to Georgia for support, which she got with a reassuring smile.

"Shall we step inside?" Georgia gestured. "Liara, please ensure that we are not disturbed, while everyone else take your places."

The crew fanned out and sat down across the rows of pews, while Liara activated the force field barriers around the outside of the temple. Georgia, Samara and Tevos approached the statue as silence filled the room, the crew looking on in anticipation of what might happen.

"Last time I was here, a VI came out of there," Georgia breathed as she stood before the large statue.

"And then the entire temple was almost destroyed by Cerberus, and the ancient Prothean terminal beneath was drained of all knowledge, knowledge that had kept my people ahead of the curve." Tevos added, before noting the crew's critical gaze. "Sorry, the Asari Republic still feel the crime Cerberus committed here has not been answered for... Speaking of Cerberus, where is your wife? Is she looking after your children?"

"Something like that," Georgia said quickly, looking around for some sign for what she could do now. "Samara, got any ideas?"

"Oh goddess Athame, protector of the Asari people, please present yourself to us in this time of need," Samara said loudly, bowing her head and raising her hands in the air. "Your loyal servant calls to you."

"What 'time of need'? We're at peace!" Tevos said, but the sound of movement in the shadows silenced any further conversation.

"I thought you'd ensured we were alone?" Aria snapped from Liara's side, though the Shadow Broker kept the Queen of Omega seated.

"I did." Tevos snapped back, but Georgia felt something familiar and cautiously approached.

"Come out, I command you to come out now!" she said boldly.

A blue leg appeared from the unusually dense shadow, followed by the slender frame of an Asari matriarch, dressed in what was clearly an ancient robe, far older than even Samara's Justicar attire. It was only when her head came into view, that the Normandy crew and Tevos gasped in unison. The woman's head was a perfect balance of Prothean and Asari; blue scaly skin, four glimmering eyes, and scalp crests that splayed outward from the back of her head. But what caught Georgia's eyes the most were her eyes, more specifically their colour; they were not green, but gold.

"By the goddess," the Asari all said in unison, dropping to their knees and bowing their heads.

"Athame?" Georgia asked, and the strange Asari smiled.

"Correct goddess," Athame said softly, her voice was soft and soothing, yet had an undercurrent that emanated ancient power.

"Goddess? Wait!" Tevos said, getting to her feet and looking from Georgia to Athame. "Are you telling me General Shepard is a goddess?"

"As of a few months ago, yes," Georgia sighed, dropping the visage and revealing her gold eyes. "It's a long story, but it is only a part of the reason we're here."

"I know why you're here, I foresaw it long ago." Athame said softly. "But I am afraid that I cannot help you."

"What?" Georgia stammered.

"My time is ending, I am too weak to help you like this," Athame said, as her body visibly aged before them; her slender frame becoming more skeletal, her skin almost grey, and her face more gaunt. Georgia had to admit that it was an almost frightening look for what had been a beautiful Asari moments before.

"But you're our only hope!" Samara begged, and Athame smiled at her.

"I know, and I know what must happen now," Athame said, moving so she was directly in front of the statue. "But it is a big sacrifice."

"Anything!" Georgia said quickly, making the older goddess laugh.

"This is not a sacrifice you must make goddess, I am afraid that your sacrifice is still to come," Athame said softly, her eyes moving to look at Samara. "This is a sacrifice my 'servant' must make alone."

"I am willing to serve your needs," Samara said, kneeling before Athame, and again the goddess laughed. "I have always been your servant."

"Liar," Aria laughed, but Athame ignored it.

"You'll 'serve' me? Oh that's not what is required," Athame chuckled, gesturing for Samara to stand. "As I have said, and as you can see, my time is ending, I have inhabited this form for two 'cycles'."

"You need a new body, a new mortal form?" Tali asked, surprising everyone as she stood up from the pews.

"Correct young Quarian, I do require... Something like that," Athame said nonchalantly. "I have lived since the Leviathans ruled the galaxy, since before the Reapers began the cycles. But I am a lesser entity, a remnant of a greater power, I was left alone when the first cycle ended."

"I don't understand," Tevos said, scratching her head. "What do you mean you're a lesser goddess?"

"The Leviathans shaped the galaxy after the dawn, coalescing the power of creation and life into a single entity." Athame said, summoning a mist, upon which images of the Leviathans in the 'dawn' appeared. "But they could not manage the single entity once the galaxy was formed, it was too powerful even for them once the galaxy was made. They chose to divide the power up, and store it until it was needed again, though this plan was soon scrapped once a cage strong enough to hold all the power was made."

"The Reaper Planet," Georgia breathed and Athame nodded.

"I was the only splinter they made, before they realised the strength of the 'planet' and stored it there. In essence, I am a part of the power within you, a splinter that grew sentient over the centuries." Athame continued. "While your power was contained, I was forgotten, left to do as I pleased. The Reapers could not harm me as I was not physical, and I was beyond their knowledge or understanding."

"That explains why you have foresight and I do not," Georgia commented.

"So you settled on Thessia?" Tevos asked. "Why?"

"During the last cycle, yes." Athame smiled. "I found a kinship with your primitive ancestors, and took to watching over you as you evolved. The Protheans helped your evolution, with my encouragement and support."

"I knew it!" Liara exclaimed, blushing when everyone looked at her. "Sorry, please continue."

"There is very little else to say. In this cycle I took the form of an Asari, though altered myself to share traits with the Protheans, as they fought tooth and claw to protect your ancestors from the Reapers." Athame said, as the cloud showed Prothean ships fighting Reapers in the skies above Thessia. "And when they fell, I was given a vision of this... my rebirth... and the maker's power made whole again."

"Wait! Why didn't the Leviathan's know that part of the 'power' was missing?" Liara asked quickly.

"They are the ancestors of my makers, knowledge was lost over the centuries young one," Athame said softly, though her voice was becoming raspier with every sentence. "And the maker's power was forgotten by all until your cycle found it again."

"What do you need from Samara?" Georgia quickly asked, getting the conversation back on track.

"This form cannot sustain me, nor can I use my full powers without destroying this form and myself, remaining in a mortal form has weakend " Athame sighed, her form was now almost emaciated. "Samara, my loyal Justicar... Take my power, rule in my place at your lover's side."

"I... I am honoured..." Samara stammered.

"Oh it's all coming up roses for you!" Jack complained, but Zaeed stood behind her and she kept quiet.

"I will not fail you," Samara said boldly, having clearly made her mind up.

"Do not fail yourself," Athame said, before grabbing Samara's head and forcing her to kneel. "Embrace Existence!"

Golden white light poured from Athame's eyes and open mouth into Samara. The excess energy from the conversion shot outward in all directions, blasting everyone back except Georgia. She had braced against the blast, and used her power to channel the power upward, to protect the crowd gathered outside the temple. The shockwave smashed through the roof, forming a column around Samara, Athame and Georgia, which connected ground to sky and shone brighter than the sunlit sky.

As the light became more intense, Georgia could see Athame's emaciated form dissolving, joining the energy pouring into Samara, whose body was completely rigid as the power fused with her. All at once, the light vanished, the shockwave dissipated, and calm returned. Falare and Morinth rushed to their mother, who was sprawled out in front of the statue.

"I think belief in Athame will be rekindled Councillor," Aria laughed, looking up at the sky.

"By the goddess!" Tevos breathed, following the crew's upward gaze.

A vivid blue comet was visible, even against the sapphire sky, passing directly over the temple.

"Athame's tear!" Sha'ira breathed. "It hasn't been seen over Thessia in centuries!"

"The Justicar Order is reborn, along with its goddess," Georgia said proudly, her gaze focused on Samara who was beginning to stir. "But I think Falare should be named the new Grand Justicar, as Samara has a more important role to play."


	27. The Phoenix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rising from the ashes

Chapter 27: The Phoenix.

Samara opened her eyes and looked around, seeing that everything and everyone was motionless. Athame was gone, but she knew that the ancient goddess of the Asari was now within her. The goddess' supernatural powers were at Samara's fingertips, or more appropriately at  _her_  goddess' fingertips, for she was bound heart and soul to Georgia Shepard.

"Samara, stand up, there's something you should see," Georgia said, as Falare and Morinth rushed to help their mother stand.

"What is it goddess?" Samara asked; her attention solely focused on Georgia.

She strangely felt even more connected to her than ever, there were more than just words and feelings connecting them now, and Samara could not be happier.

"You can't really call her that now, seeing as you're both goddesses," Falare smiled.

Samara immediately rushed to the nearest reflective surface, and gasped at the face that looked back at her. Her glowing gold eyes seemed almost natural, as if she'd had them all her life, but the sudden change surprised her.

"Are you okay?" Georgia asked.

"I will be," she replied.

"We'll need to explain what happened to the crowd before we can reach the ship," Liara laughed.

"What happened when I melded with Athame?" Samara asked, looking to the crew for answers.

"The excess energy blasted outward, I managed to funnel it upward, but that just made it more of a spectacle to those outside," Georgia explained. "The beam of golden energy must have been visible for miles around. Plus that appeared in the sky afterwards." Samara followed Georgia's upward tilt, and gasped again.

"This is an historic day," Tevos said proudly. "Our ancient faith restored, the Order rebuilt with the goddess in charge, and my term ending on a high."

"Gee, make it more about you," Jack said flatly.

"Forgive me, I shall contact..." Tevos began, but Aria cut her off.

"No need to inform the Broker, she's standing right here!" Aria laughed.

"Dr T'Soni is the Broker? How?" Tevos stammered. "You're too young to be the Broker!"

"We killed the original and she took the position," Georgia said quickly.

"That's why the messages became friendlier, and why... Oh Dr T'Soni I admire you're cunning and intellect," Tevos chuckled. "I think you're my best option for successor."

"Why do you think I'm with her," Aria laughed.

"Because she's in a position of power, and that turns you on more than being in power yourself," Tevos replied, making Aria go pale as her secret was revealed.

"Is there any high-ranking Asari you haven't slept with?" Liara asked.

"My cousin," Aria said plainly, and everyone's attention returned to Samara. "And it's not just high-ranking Asari my dear, we've both slept with Shepard. I admire those who rival or dwarf my power, and dear goddess Shepard is the prime example, she screwed me senseless and I've never felt more alive than I do now being beneath her, because there's nothing better than a goddess. If anyone lets that slip I'll tear out their loose tongue!"

"Hush now, I'll ensure they keep your secret," Liara whispered, but everyone heard her. "No one will know you're the goddess's bitch." she whispered, and Georgia was surprised that Aria showed no signs of anger at that comment.

The temple was left in an uncomfortable silence, until Georgia moved to check on Samara, still looking at her reflection.

"Are you okay Samara? I know it's a lot to take in so suddenly, but I am here if you need me," Georgia said, putting a hand on Samara's shoulder.

"I'm fine, and... By the goddess!" Samara exclaimed, her hands moving for her head.

"What?" Georgia asked quickly.

"I feel a sudden rush of power, like a burst of hallex in my blood, or an amplified adrenaline rush!" Samara said quickly, trying to explain the strange sensations in her body. "What could be causing this?"

Georgia's mind reached out; connecting with her subconscious omniscience to see what was going on across Thessia. Once she locked on to what had caused the rush, her mind raced with ideas.

"Almost every Asari on the planet is praying to Athame. They are either reconfirming their faith, or begging forgiveness for abandoning their belief in her." Georgia explained.

"So mass prayer is like an adrenaline rush?" Jack asked.

"I guess, it might increase her powers as well," Morinth answered.

"Maybe that's why Athame needed a new body, because faith in her had died out, her body got weaker," Falare said brightly. "And she needed a new body, knowing it would re-establish faith in her, as well as ensure her survival if it did not."

"That's usually what foresight enables, you to see what is going to happen," Morinth said plainly, earning a playful punch from her sister.

"I think we can wax poetic another time, the Asari people will want an explanation of what happened here," Tevos said loudly. "Once again Georgia Shepard is involved in a public… event in this holy temple."

"Agreed. Everyone else head back to the ship, Samara please come with me," Georgia ordered, and the crew obeyed, yet the Justicar was hesitant.

"Goddess, how do you disguise your divine eyes?" She asked nervously, feeling her nerves affecting her for the first time in centuries. The sudden shift in her position was something entirely new for her, and she could not quite re-establish her calm demeanour without a little help.

"With a simple thought, I'll be right beside you," Georgia said, looping arms with Samara and following Tevos to the entrance, as the crew had already left through a side door.

"Councillor! What in the goddesses' name just happened?"

"What did General Shepard do in Athame's Temple?"

"Is this some insane publicity stunt?"

Were some of the questions thrown at them as they left the temple. They were immediately protected by a line of Asari commandos, who held the masses back with biotic fields.

"General Shepard has done what no one else has ever done, she has awakened the power and benevolence of Athame, following years of the goddess hiding from an endangered galaxy," Tevos said loudly, receiving murmurs in the crowd.

"So... Athame left us to die in the Reaper War?" A voice called.

"She never abandoned us, but she had bound her powers into a mortal shell, and as we lost faith, her power wained and she became trapped in an ageing, weakening body. If she had shown herself during the war, the Reapers could have killed her. But do not think that she abandoned us..." Tevos explained, making most of it up from what she had learnt. "She has never abandoned us in all the centuries she has protected us; from the fall of the Prothean Empire, to today."

"What?" Came the general response from the confused crowd.

"Athame is far older than the Asari, having bound herself to us during the Prothean cycle when we were just beginning to evolve. However this was not her beginning, for she is a part of something as old as creation." Samara spoke up. "Her power waned as people lost faith in her, but now she is reborn. If you are doubtful look to the heavens, Athame's tear has reappeared over Thessia for the first time in living memory."

"That blast of energy was Athame freeing herself from mortal bonds, she is again free to watch over all Asari across the galaxy," Tevos chimed in. "Do not lose faith in her, as she has not lost faith in us."

"Praise the goddess!" A voice cried, before it was echoed by the crowd. Tevos raised her hands to silence the crowd again.

"I have been Councillor of our proud people for many years, and overseen some of the most trying times in our long history," Tevos said loudly, ensuring everyone would hear her. "I feel it pertinent to announce to you now, that I and Samara have been speaking frequently about a subject almost forgotten in recent years, yet integral to our history. I am honoured to announce that the ancient and noble Justicar Order, once a cornerstone of our race, an organisation that was almost eradicated in the war, will be reborn with Justicar Samara's daughter Falare leading it into the new era."

The crowd erupted, and Samara seemed overwhelmed by the response, though Georgia knew that the Asari faith in their goddess was growing by the second. If she was to venture beyond her reality, defeat the alternate Shepards and save her son; she may need the same miracle, but getting it would be difficult for a war hero in peace time.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Georgia held Samara's hand before reaching into the mirror, her hand passing through as if it was not there. Slowly, painstakingly, Miranda was pulled out of the glass prison, and immediately held her saviours tight against her.

"I cannot thank you enough for that!" she breathed, giving Samara and Georgia each a passionate kiss on the lips. "I may not have been in there long, but it is not an experience I wish to repeat."

"Let's just agree never to split up like that again," Georgia laughed.

"So... How'd Samara get divine powers?" Miranda asked as they parted. "Where did you find another goddess."

"Athame has been reborn within her," Georgia explained. "Although it seems that Athame was originally a part of the power which I have within me, so the three of us make up one source of divine power."

"How…" Miranda began.

"Athame was separate from the Reaper planet, and over the centuries became a goddess by herself," Samara explained. "The power within the Reaper planet remained unchanged as it was caged, but Athame was free to learn, adapt and grow, yet still belong with the power Georgia wields."

"So we're a holy trinity?" Miranda said, quickly the idea of what had happened.

"I am honoured you consider me so… important." Samara bowed her head, but Georgia prompted her to look up again.

"You do not bow to us any longer; we are equals now, in power and private, though we do not need to marry." Georgia said softly, watching as Samara leant against her hand caressing her blue cheek. "Yet you still seem rather… subservient."

"It is something I am accustomed to, I have spent centuries worshipping the goddess, and now you are the goddess. Even though we are linked through this power, I still feel… lesser." Samara clarified. "But I have always been subservient to a higher power, ever since I swore my oath to you. I have been loyal to you, and the goddess, now that they are one and the same… and I love it."

"I love you too, and you are not lesser." Georgia chuckled, before the two shared a tender kiss, quickly joined by Miranda, the trio kissing each other passionately. "But the danger has not passed. They are still out there, threatening our friends and family, and my son is stranded in another dimension."

"How do we get him back?" Miranda asked, quickly moving to the intercom. "Sha'ira, please bring my children up here, I think they need their mother."

"Nice to hear you're out of the mirror," Sha'ira purred. "I will tear them away from Shai'ria and let them see their mother again."

"I have an idea, something that I thought up when you described the rush of power you got from the Asari praying to you," Georgia continued. "If we can get the whole galaxy to believe or focus on me, or a divine entity, I think that will increase my power, and allow me to venture beyond this reality."

"What will stop you from getting lost beyond this world?" Samara asked, fearing for her lover's life.

"You and the crew, you'll be an emotional tether, ensuring I am not lost." Georgia smiled. "Come on, I think we all know how the whole galaxy can have me on their minds.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You want me to do what?" Di asked, looking up from her datapad, a thin pair of glasses perched on the end of her nose.

"Hurry up," Miranda summarised. "Finish the biography so that we can save John and kill the bitches behind all this anarchy."

"I heard, I just can't believe your gall," Di said, taking off her glasses. "I explained that I need your input to finish this, everything else is pretty much done."

"That will not be a problem," Georgia suggested. "Plus I've thought of a solution to expedite the proofing, reviewing and editing."

"Oh?" Di laughed. "And what is this wondrous idea?"

"EDI! Do you think you can help our dear Di finish quickly?" Samara asked, looking around knowing that the AI was watching them.

"I have looked over Miss Allers' work and have monitored her progress thus far, with my help I estimate its completion to be within the week." EDI's disembodied voice said calmly. "If she continues at her current pace, it will take much longer."

"You've accessed my datapad?" Di exclaimed.

"I have access to every computer on the Normandy, including the goddesses' left arm," EDI's voice said from Georgia's artificial arm. "It is within my right as you are connected to my network, I am only connected to ensure my safety."

"Why so paranoid?" Di laughed.

"Because Joker's zetabytes of explicit data caused my systems to suffer from thousands of viruses, malware and other corrupting data, and I do not wish to repeat the stress my systems suffered when I cleared it from my hard drives after Joker left." EDI said flatly.

"Wow, I think I'll enable safe search," Di said quickly.

"I have already done that for you. I shall be with you shortly Miss Allers," EDI responded. "Goddess, I think it should be noted that since becoming Grand Admiral, Joker has not watched a single adult video or image."

"I can't believe that's true. Although, that Asari did seem rather keen about him..." Georgia laughed, as she, Miranda and Samara returned to their room. "Well, we've got a week, what should we do?"


	28. Storytime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tonight on Citadel Talk: Georgia and Miranda Shepard

Chapter 28: Storytime.

The studio spotlights flared into life, and with the cameras, focused on the host of the galaxy's most popular chat show, Citadel Talk.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, I am your host for tonight, Emily Wong."

There was a customary pause for applause, and for Emily to gather her notes together.

"Tonight I am joined by two very special, and highly anticipated, guests, who are here to talk about the upcoming autobiography that many have been demanding for years." Emily Wong said officially, as the cameras turned from her to Geo and Miri sitting across a small coffee table from the interviewer. "My guests are; General Georgia Shepard, and Commander Miranda Shepard, who are seen by many as the golden couple of the Reaper War. Ladies, welcome to the show; it's great to finally interview the stars of this incredible work."

"Thank you Emily, it's nice to be here," Geo and Miri said in turn.

"I guess I should start at the beginning, or more specifically, the origins of the autobiography," Emily explained. "How did this all start? When did you decide to write down your life's story?"

"It was actually my PR agent, Diana Allers, who suggested and pushed for my life's story to be recorded, and she is the one who ghost wrote it, mostly because I was dealing with the ring world crisis." Georgia said, launching into her explanation. "It was really all down to her, she said that people would want to know, and persuaded me that I should reveal my unbelievable life to the galaxy, especially given my role in the Reaper War."

"Well I hope you reward her for all the hard work she's put in." Emily chuckled.

"I think that it would be wrong of us not to reward her," Miranda said quickly, a sly smile on her face, though Emily was busy moving on to the next conversation topic.

"We met briefly when you first became a Spectre, and at the time I only knew you by hearsay," Emily said, quickly changing the conversation in order to keep to her script. "But from reading this book, I've discovered how complex your past is, and how there is so much more to you than people realise."

"They have no idea," Miranda said listlessly.

"I think that in discussing the book, it's only fitting that we start with your childhood," Emily said, getting the conversation going on giving a general overview of Georgia's life. "You were the only daughter of two equally distinguished Alliance servicemen, Hannah and John Shepard, and this meant your entire childhood was spent on Alliance ships."

"That's correct; my feet didn't touch solid ground until I was in was in basic training." Georgia smiled as the memories returned to her. "But I'm guessing that you're more interested in my parents."

"Your father especially," Emily said eagerly. "We're talking about a man who; faked his death and went into hiding, leaving your mother to raise you by herself. Whilst in hiding he helped found Cerberus, yet managed to remain in the shadows until you married Miss Lawson over a year ago. I guess my next question is, was your view of him altered from what you were told growing up, after he returned over a year ago?"

"Not really. My mother always painted him in a favourable light; she always told me how chivalrous and noble he was in his service to the Alliance, which was echoed by other military figures I met growing up. No one ever said he was anything less than a hero of the First Contact War." Georgia said, pausing occasionally to think about what she was going to say next. "Now that I know he was in the shadows, still influencing my life; it only increased my respect and love for him. And when he returned at such a key moment in my life, I felt that he had not missed anything, arriving just in time to see me marry the love of my life."

"Aww thank you Geo," Miranda purred, before they shared a quick kiss.

"We'll get to your incredible relationship in a moment, but your mention of Cerberus leads me into my next question." Emily said, looking down as she flicked through her notes. "The full story is in this autobiography; but you served with distinction prior to being made a Spectre, and during your confrontation with Saren and Sovereign you were paired with the ship that would be forever tied to the Shepard name; the SSV Normandy. My next question is, did you ever conceive how important the Normandy would become to your mission against the Reapers, when Anderson handed the keys to you, so to speak."

"How could I? I couldn't possibly have known its importance in the beginning. I feel it's a rather silly question Emily, you never realise how important something like that in the beginning." Georgia laughed. "The Normandy started off as my starship for hunting Saren and then stopping Sovereign, and now it's pretty much home for me and my crew."

"So the Normandy crew still man it?" Emily followed.

"Some, others have left to follow their own path, and some new people have joined." Miranda answered. "But soon even the more die hard will leave the nest."

"Perfect timing Commander, my next question is regarding Project Lazarus." Emily beamed, flicking through her datapad to reach her notes on the Cerberus project. "Obviously the great Commander Shepard had to be brought back to fight the Reapers and their numerous puppets, but I must ask you Miranda; in resurrecting Georgia, did you know how you would forever change the course of galactic history, as well as your career?"

"I think it is obvious that I knew her resurrection would change the course of galactic history, we did it to stop the Reapers from committing galactic genocide," Miranda said in a jovial matter, ignoring the stupidity of Emily's first question. "As for Georgia's impact on my personal life, the answer is both yes and no. I knew that working with Georgia would certainly be rewarding for my career, but I could not have predicted that through her I'd see Cerberus for what it truly was, finally rid me and my sister of our overbearing father, and have the one thing I had never dreamed of, a family, and a gorgeous wife."

"I love you," Georgia said, before she kissed Miranda on the cheek.

"You certainly are the golden couple," Emily smiled, before quickly moving on to her next question. "The next question is mostly to confirm or deny a rumour, are you romantically involved with anyone other than Commander Shepard?"

"Why is that any of your business?" Miranda snapped, but Georgia calmed her down by placing her hand over Miranda's.

"I think that information is private, Emily, please move on to your next question," Georgia said calmly. Emily gave an uncertain look to her boss behind the camera, who merely gave the signal for the host to carry on.

"Okay, speaking of recent activity, the pirate war saw the galaxy finally united in equal power, after centuries of the Council being composed of the three most powerful races." Emily said, skimming through her notes toward the end. "And after months of peace, two great invasions tested the new Council. Could you please clarify what exactly happened?"

"First, after centuries in cryosleep, and a year waiting beyond the galaxy's edge, the last Prothean armada returned to rebuild the Prothean Empire of old. They were led by a legend among the Protheans, Warlord Barca." Georgia explained.

"As in Hannibal?" Emily asked in disbelief.

"Yes, though neither share any other connections with the other." Miranda explained. "Except for both being strategic geniuses in warfare."

"That is why ships appeared over every capital world, and the Citadel; Warlord Barca performed the ultimate move to pacify opposition." Georgia added. "He also tried to kill me, but failed, obviously. I flew to his ship and negotiated a ceasefire, and set the groundwork for the Protheans re-joining the galaxy."

"And they have certainly made their presence known," Emily chuckled. "Please try to explain the madness that followed the Prothean invasion, as no one will clarify exactly what happened."

"I'm afraid that's still classified." Georgia sighed. "But I can say with certainty that there will never be another incident like that again."

"Yes…Of course… I was just seeking some… clarification about the most recent crisis, in order to ease our viewers' worried minds," Emily said light-heartedly. "For the full story of everything Shepard, up to the end of the pirate war, I highly recommend reading this work 'We Stood Together: The Declassified Lives of Georgia Shepard'."

She held up an image of the Normandy surrounded by the galactic armada from the Battle of Earth, with the title and subtitle printed above and below.

"It is being released this weekend, and it is set to break all records," Emily continued, before turning to Georgia and Miranda. "I'd like to thank my noble guests, General Georgia Shepard and her wife Miranda Shepard, ladies thank you both for coming."

"It's been a pleasure," they said in unison.

"I am Emily Wong, this has been Citadel Talk. Good night." She said to camera, before the lights faded out and the music played.

Emily turned back to them, an eager look on her face.

"So can you tell me if you've got another lover General, I'm really curious," she said like a giddy schoolgirl. "I promise I won't tell anyone."

"Curiosity killed the cat," Miranda laughed, before sauntering off the set, Georgia watched the sway of her wife's hips, before turning back to Emily.

"Do I really need anyone else?" Georgia chuckled, before following Miranda. "I've got everything I ever wanted with her."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

That weekend the autobiography exceeded all expectations, the demand for Georgia's story almost crashed the holonet, and Di was quickly swamped with requests for further interviews with Georgia and her crew members.

"Did it work?" Samara asked, as Georgia piloted the Normandy to the edge of the galaxy again.

"Yes, I feel my power increasing by the second, if we're going to do it, it's now or never." Georgia said, getting out of her seat and striding toward the CIC. "EDI, get everyone to the CIC, it's time to save my son."

"Yes general," EDI replied.

Minutes later the crew were all seated around the CIC, their attention fixed on Georgia.

"Alright crew, this is it, the final strike against that bitch Lauren, and my only chance to get John back for good." Georgia said loudly. "I want every one of you to focus on me, to believe in me, and no matter what happens, do not doubt this plan."

"I don't think we've ever really doubted you Shepard," Garrus said, as he, Joker, James, Kolyat, Zaeed, and Grunt had re-joined temporarily, in order to aid their general in this key moment. "We've always stood beside you through thick and thin."

"Thank you Garrus," Georgia smiled. "I'm glad you've joined us for this, I wouldn't want to do this without my full crew."

"And what about me?" a weak voice said, and Georgia gasped as her father stepped out of the lift. "What about your old man?"

"Dad," Georgia gasped, hurrying over and hugging him tightly. "I'm overjoyed you're here, how did you manage to hide from me?"

"You're not the only goddess my love," Samara smiled.

"Let's save my grandson," John said simply, and with this they sprang into action.

Georgia lay at the center of the crew, with everyone sitting around her, following her instructions and pushing their belief in her to the forefront of their minds. Georgia felt her power growing exponentially, and quickly focused on detaching from her mortal shell, and flew at lightspeed toward the edge of the galaxy and beyond.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She opened her eyes and saw nothing, felt nothing, heard nothing, only the connection to her crew kept her aware of her presence in this vacuum. Suddenly a male voice piped up from behind her, and despite the years, she recognised it instantly.

"Hello there," He said merrily.

"How the hell…" she exclaimed.

"That my dear is a very long story, though there is no concept of time here," the man chuckled.

"Then tell me, I'm fascinated..." Georgia began, but again he interrupted her.

"I shall explain what this place is and how it works after, but I think it best to start at the beginning of my tale, and explain everything up to my arrival into this nothingness." The man's voice said, before he took a deep breath in. "A long time ago, in a reality far, far away..."


	29. Outside Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Georgia learns about the realities beyond her own, and glimpses her nemesis' insanity

Chapter 29: Outside Alone.

"... And that is my story, up to my arrival in this place." The man finished, after a long, and surprisingly intimate retelling of his life, most of which Georgia already knew. "Is there anything else you wish to know?"

"Yes, what is the hell is this place, and have you seen two alternate versions of me here recently?" Georgia spluttered, her mind was overeager for answers.

"I have not seen anything my dear, this place has no light, no darkness, no gravity, and no direction, plus we are the only living entities existing within it. But I sense that like me you are merely a mental projection, your body resides within the world you came from." The man said. "As for this place more specifically, to call it hell is pretty accurate. This is the void between worlds, an infinite realm of nothingness that binds all reality together."

"Huh?" Georgia gawked. "I didn't understand any of that."

"Imagine a sphere, with billions of smaller spheres covering the shell, all touching the bigger sphere, but not each other." The voice said, and her imagination was strong enough to imagine what he was describing. "The void, the place where we are now, is the big sphere, and every known reality, including its many variations, are the smaller spheres around it."

"I just about understand that, but why can't I see or feel anything?" she immediately asked.

"The void is nothingness made real. There is no light, no dark, no up, no down, no life whatsoever, except us at this present time, though even the concept of the present is not certain here." The voice explained. "Speaking of present, why have you come here?"

"Two bitches fucked with me, and I want payback!" she said through gritted teeth. "Care to point out where I can find Lauren Shepard and Zoe Shepard's realities, I have unfinished business with both."

"Ah, so you're Georgia Shepard, nice to meet you," the man said brightly. "It's nice to meet the person who saved me a lot of work in repairing her damage."

"What?" Georgia asked.

"One of those alternate versions of you, I'm not sure which, caused considerable damage to multiple realities, and I must take some responsibility for giving her the opportunity." He sighed. "But with your help, I have sealed most of the cracks, and have contained one of them in their reality."

"Cracks?" she asked, perplexed by the use of the word. "And how the hell have I helped?"

Suddenly vivid white lines appeared all around her, criss-crossing what must have been the walls of the void, though that idea confused her even more. As the light faded, she caught a glimpse of the bearded figure before her, and her disbelief reached an all-time high.

"Can I enter their worlds to mess with them like they did with me?" Georgia asked.

"If you keep your revenge to their individual realities, I have almost fixed the damage I was responsible for." The man said quickly. "The damage that one of them has done is taking a long time to undo, and I hope that your plan takes this into account."

"Oh I know exactly how to get some payback with them," she chuckled. "Where is Zoe's reality?"

"Hold on," he smiled, before he flicked his wrist and she hurtled toward one of the cracks and into a familiar, yet alien, reality.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She immediately focused on cloaking her presence, before beginning her work. She knew the basics of Zoe's history with the Leviathan's power.

"Alright then Zoe, time to put right what you let Lauren corrupt!" Georgia said through gritted teeth.

She extended her influence, seeing how Zoe ruled her reality, and quickly thought of a plan to stop the other Shepard from interfering in this reality. Georgia travelled back through this reality's timeline, to just before Lauren visited.

"Who are you?" Zoe asked, her Reaper-human body showing an intrigued expression.

"I'm you, from another reality, and I need you to listen to me," Georgia said quickly. "There's another version of us out there that's evil, pure evil, and I need you to hide until I take care of them."

"Hide? I'm a goddess, and…" Zoe began, but she cut in.

"I know, I'll hide you from her gaze and take your place," Georgia said quickly, sensing Lauren approaching. "Just hide for a while, so I can take your place and protect you from being corrupted."

"I don't understand anything you've just said, but I'm not in a position to distrust you," Zoe sighed.

"I promise this is for the greater good," Georgia said, and Zoe quickly cloaked herself.

' _Clearly she is an infiltrator by profession._ ' Georgia thought.

"Hello stranger," Lauren smiled brightly, appearing behind Georgia.

"Hi, who are you?" Georgia said, pretending to be naïve.

"I'm like you, but from a very different reality," Lauren grinned.

"Why are you here?"

"I'm offering you the chance to visit other realities beyond your own," Lauren encouraged. "You're a goddess ruling over a galaxy at peace, and there are realities out there that are not as stable as yours, together we can put them right."

"What do you mean 'put them right'? If there are 'alternate' realities, who's to say that they aren't supposed to be 'lost'?" Georgia asked, wondering if Lauren was the one who was lost in her own power.

"Wow you're naïve," Lauren laughed loudly. "Come with me."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She played along as Lauren delighted in showing some of the realities she had changed, even showing what would have happened if she had not intervened. All Georgia could think about was how she and the man in the void would undo this interference, and at what point she would stop Lauren once and for all. As they moved on to the next, Georgia reached out to the man in the void, and notified him of another reality that had been altered.

"But it's not just realities beyond ours that I have made better, I've improved some of the other Shepards, both male and female." Lauren said proudly.

"There are male Shepards?" Georgia asked.

"Yeah, I found it hilarious at first, but there aren't many of them compared to female Shepards from what I've seen." Lauren sniggered. "Take a look at this Shepard, and see how I've fulfilled his wildest desires."

Georgia glimpsed into the reality and felt a knot in her gut from what she saw. This Shepard, known as John Shepard, was a fair leader like her, but he had chosen to control the Reapers.

"I promised that he'd survive the crucible and be rewarded in ways he couldn't imagine," Lauren explained. "Everything he ever wanted has happened; the Batarians are extinct, the Reapers are his to control, and the people of his galaxy worship the one true goddess, me."

"What else did you do?" she asked, though the answer was obvious.

"Corrupted him." Lauren laughed, delighting in how she had corrupted this reality. "He doesn't realise how far he's fallen from the 'righteous' path, its exquisite to see a good man gone bad."

"And his galaxy let him get away with this?" Georgia asked in disbelief.

"They owe him everything," Lauren said simply. "Plus I may have had a little influence on how people have viewed his actions. The extermination of the Batarians? A neccessary act to ensure galactic stability. The Reapers being under this Shepard's control? A means of ensuring galactic peace."

"I thought you didn't like peace?" She asked.

"I hated the peace in my reality, it was just too... boring for me." Lauren said quickly.

"Is he a god like us?" Georgia asked.

"Ha! No! I stole the Leviathan's power from his reality, and in some others I simply destroyed it." Lauren laughed. "When he dies, the galaxy will mourn a hero who did 'what was needed'."

"What else have you done to these other realities?"

"bestowed gifts upon those I deemed worthy, though I did not bless that many." Lauren said slowly. "I won't explain it, but it got boring after a while, so I went back to playing with realities by myself."

"How many realities have you 'toyed' with?"

"A fair few, not just other Shepard realities, but many that are beyond your narrow imagination." Lauren said nonchalantly. "But come with me, I've found one that'll be fun for both of us to play with."

"Who says I want to help you?" Georgia said defiantly. "Maybe I've seen all I need, and I choose to return to where I belong."

"Don't worry, you'll return home afterward, I just want to show you what you can do with this power," Lauren said excitedly. "There's a reason we have it after all."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What do you think of this reality?" Lauren asked as they floated on the edge of a galaxy.

"Seems familiar, yet alien." Georgia admitted.

"That's because it's another alternate reality of ours," Lauren explained. "We're about two years after the Battle over Earth, and this version of us chose to merge organics and synthetics."

"What did you choose?"

"To control the Reapers, worked in my favour as I finally got my revenge on those four-eyed Batarian assholes," Lauren grinned.

"You committed genocide?" Georgia said disgusted.

"Yep, and not just in my reality as I've shown you." Lauren smiled with no hint of remorse. "In my reality I went a stage further. There are no Batarians, Vorcha or Yahg, and no one can complain because everything turned out for the better."

"I chose destroy, and my galaxy is at peace." Georgia said, having memorised what Zoe's reality was like. "And I did it without genocide or bloodshed."

"That was a weak-willed choice, and that is why you're here, to learn that discipline and order are essential." Lauren stated. "You need to stop taking the cowardly pacifistic approach."

She watched as Lauren lured the Protheans out of hiding, and then helped them attack each home-world simultaneously.

"Could you throw that out of this reality, it really doesn't belong." Lauren said nonchalantly. "Plus, it's about time you got your hands dirty."

Georgia played along, throwing the object wrapped in Lauren's power out of the reality, only to see her evil alternate pull it back.

"What was the point of that?" she asked.

"Relax, I ensured several decades passed for it, while only a few seconds passed here," Lauren smiled. "And we're only just beginning."

Georgia's gut sank as it dawned on her; this was her reality, and she had just thrown John III from Miranda's arms into the Halo reality. Her anger raged to the surface, yet she felt powerless to attack Lauren. She had fallen into a trap, and now had to endure torture as Lauren fucked with her reality before her eyes.


	30. My Own Worst Enemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Georgia learns that sometimes you must do what you hate for the greater good

Chapter 30: My Own Worst Enemy.

'I just helped with what I hate this bitch for!' she thought, as Lauren pulled the Halos across the void into her reality. 'I've got to stop this!'

'No! If you stop her now, you'll forever change the course of your reality's timeline, and that could cause far worse to attack you and those you love.' The man whispered in her ear. 'Play along; I will do what I can to undo what she's done in the other realities, but you must wait for the right opportunity to strike.'

"Let's ensure this bitch has a challenge on her hands," Lauren said, dragging her toward one of the Halos.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Oh, hello Reclaimers, how may I be of assistance?" the monitor said brightly, floating down from several floors above them, its royal blue eye glowing brightly.

"Have you noticed that the constellations have changed?" Lauren asked. "This Halo has been moved, and there is a great purpose for you."

"Oh? What has moved this installation? Have my fellow monitors and their installations moved as well?" the monitor asked.

"What's your name?" Georgia asked, and Lauren gave her an odd look. "They've all got names, everything has a name."

"I don't have a name, I am known only as The First," it said, and Georgia suppressed a gasp.

"Good for you," Lauren rolled her eyes. "I can't say what or who has brought the Halos to this new galaxy, but the Forerunners' noble efforts may be needed to bring order to this reality."

"Order?" The First tittered. "These installations were designed to eradicate the source of the Flood's continued existence, which is to say all living matter."

"Fine, then it would be appropriate to warn you that one of the installations you cherish has fallen to the Flood, so you'll need to fire them all to ensure this galaxy is not infected." Lauren growled. "And you will need to ensure that the agents of chaos do not stop you from cleansing the corruption."

"The Flood does not need agents to spread out and corrupt everything in their path." The First corrected, which clearly irritated Lauren. "But I see your point that a single complete system activation will ensure that the Flood do not spread out from the corrupted Halo. What 'agents' are you referring to if not the Flood?"

"Doesn't matter, what does matter is that you stop the Flood before it spreads," Lauren said quickly, clearly impatient for her plan to be carried out. "You will fail without a little upgrade."

"Upgrade? My systems are state-of-the-art, far beyond anything you could provide in your primitive state." The First boasted, clearly its arrogance was there before Lauren 'upgraded' it.

"This form may be primitive, but I can give you something no machine has ever had, telepathy." Lauren said sweetly, trying to tempt the monitor over.

"How?"

"Never mind how, it would take far too long to explain… Do you accept?" Lauren asked.

The First processed the information it had been given, while Georgia kept quiet and tried to not take part in any more of Lauren's machinations in her reality.

"I accept," The First said, and Lauren tapped its glass eye.

Immediately a familiar deep red spread across the lens, and the silver metal turned obsidian black, a visible sign of how Lauren had corrupted the once dutiful monitor.

"I will not fail my makers," it said in a deep voice, before flying away as fast as it could.

"That was more effort than I would have liked," Lauren admitted. "You could have helped you know, besides asking its name like a naïve child."

"You seemed to be handling things just fine," she lied, and Lauren gave her a curious look before the scene around them shifted.

"Time to step things up," she said simply.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

What followed was the first confrontation with her past self and crew, and she made sure it followed the same threads as last time. She used the information from Zoe's reality to continue pretending to be who she was not, praying that her opportunity would come to attack Lauren before she truly fucked her over.

"Time for you to prove yourself to me, and finish what we started earlier," Lauren said after an extended amount of unused time had passed. "Send the foreigner back home."

"Who?" she asked, momentarily lost with where in the timeline they were, for some reason she was not as quick thinking as usual.

"The one we sent away and then brought back, its time he went to where he truly belongs," Lauren sighed. "No one here truly cares about him like the other reality does; we're doing them a disservice by depriving them of their hero."

"Fine, but your reasoning is flawed," she growled, and this made Lauren raise her eyebrow.

"You're cleverer than you let on," Lauren laughed, before she faded into the blackness of space.

She focused on her son, appearing behind him in the cargo hold of the Normandy, quickly shifting her appearance back to normal.

"Hello John," she said sombrely, knowing that this was not a jovial matter.

"Mom, what's wrong?" he said cautiously.

"I've got to send you back to the other reality," she said, cutting to the chase as she knew he deserved the honest truth. "I'm still bleeding, and it is clear that you are the cause."

"Are you sure?" John asked.

Georgia lifted up her jacket to show her bleeding wound, though this time it was an illusion.

"I'm sure," she sighed.

"Are there no alternatives?" Cortana asked.

"I will think of something once these interlopers are dealt with," she said quickly as it was the honest truth. She took his hand in both of hers and looked in square in the eyes. "I promise that my son will return home, I won't leave you alone again."

"Will any time have passed?" Cortana asked.

"The same time that you've been in this reality, I'll put you right back in the same place they took you from," Georgia said brightly. "It'll probably seem like a dream, but you will not be there forever, I WILL bring you home soon."

"I love you mom," John said slowly, hugging her tightly.

"I love you son," she wept. "Never forget that we love you."

With that she threw him back into the Halo reality, watching the cracks partially closing over it, trapping him in that world again. She wiped the tears from her eyes, swearing to herself that she would find a way to save him, to bring him home, and more than anything, make Lauren pay for all the pain she had caused.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Not bad robot, not a bad handling of the situation," Lauren commented as she returned to the blackness of space to find her adversary waiting for her. "I especially like how you pretended to be his mother."

"I feel it was the kindest thing to do," she said simply.

"I'd have just tossed him, making it far quicker and easier." Lauren retorted.

"And you call me a robot, when you seek the 'quick and easy' solutions," she laughed.

"Laugh all you want tin bitch, but this version of us is weak, and I've got her exactly where I like," Lauren grinned. "It's time to tear her perfect world apart, and force her down the path I've devised."

"And what path would that be?" Georgia asked quickly, hoping to get some insight on her enemy.

"You'll see," Lauren smiled knowingly. "Soon all will become clear."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Geo! We've been played! Those bitches are trying to..." Miranda said quickly as she strode into their room, but she quickly realised Georgia was absent. "Geo?"

"She's not here, but we are," Georgia said softly, disguised as Zoe.

She and Lauren had appeared in her quarters the moment Miranda approached the doors.

"I'm afraid you're too late, everything I have done is irreversible now" Lauren laughed. "There's nothing you can do to change the future."

"Geo…" Miranda yelled, but Georgia grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the ground.

Her metallic left hand cut off Miranda's airway, choking her until she passed out, feeling it far kinder than what she was about to do. She carefully carried Miranda through the mirror and dropped her on the other side. Before she could do anything else, Lauren solidified the mirror and trapped Miranda inside it.

"It will take more than just Georgia to get her out of there as I gave you some of my power, just as I planned." Lauren smirked. "Have you taken care of the other matter?" Georgia nodded, though she knew that Lauren had watched her send John 'home'.

"What the hell is going on?" Her past-self yelled as she stormed into the room, finding her alternates standing by the door. "Where's Miri?"

"She's… deep in reflection." Georgia said, pointing at the unconscious Miranda in the reflected room.

"Get her out of there now!" Georgia yelled.

"I don't think so; she was trying to stop us." Lauren said curtly, while Georgia remained quiet. She remembered how this scene played out, and unlike the past few moments, she did not know how this was going to end.

"Stop you from doing what?" Georgia snarled.

"What must happen, everything we have done, is for the betterment of this reality…" Lauren smirked. "I am a necessary evil."

"What?" Georgia roared.

"Never you worry, just don't keep your crew around much longer, or they'll suffer for their faith." Lauren said, not realising that Georgia was not on her side, and was preparing to strike.

"If you touch them, you die!" Georgia yelled, summoning her armour and omni-tool.

She activated her omni-blade, but Lauren struck first, impaling her omni-blade into her stomach and throwing them back into the vacuum of space.

"Did you really think I was that stupid?" Lauren laughed.


	31. Straight Through the Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard Versus Shepard.

Chapter 31: Straight Through the Heart.

"Did you seriously think I wouldn't spot the differences between you and the real Zoe Shepard?" Lauren laughed, circling Georgia as she recovered from the painful stabbing. "Or that you could move from one reality to another without being noticed by someone far more experienced at jumping between realities?"

"I was hoping to get revenge for what you did to my family!" Georgia said through gritted teeth, as she healed the wound in her stomach. "For the chaos you've caused to so many worlds."

"Ever the righteous bitch!" Lauren laughed. "It was so easy to manipulate you into helping me, into tempting you toward true power, toward using your power for more meaningful things, and yet you act as if it is beneath you!"

"It is!" She snapped back, moving to stay a safe distance from Lauren, causing them to circle each other slowly. "We were given this power for a reason, to govern and manage the galaxy we 'rule' over. We were not given this power to do as we please and screw with realities beyond our own!"

"Maybe you were not, but when I crossed over, the walls between realities were torn open for me," Lauren said, raising her hands and showing the vivid white crack that marked the edge of the reality they were in. "What else could that mean, other than I was destined to use this power in worlds beyond my own."

"Why not stay and rule over your own reality, one I assume you moulded in your image," Georgia asked, slowly understanding her enemy better than before.

"It was perfect for me, true, but that just made it boring after a week," Lauren sighed. "And I had messed around with it in every conceivable way by the end of the first month."

"So you toyed with other realities however you pleased?" Georgia exclaimed, summoning her tech armour as Lauren's skin burned with purple flames; clearly she was adept with biotics.

"Of course," Lauren smiled, the red cracks on her face splitting open further. "New, exciting worlds opened up for me to explore, and my power was carried over from one world to the next, why would I not mess with the worlds however I pleased."

"Because you could have destroyed multiple realities by messing with the timelines!" Georgia yelled, moving in to punch Lauren, but her opponent dodged and hit back.

"Do you even know how the multiverse works?" Lauren laughed. "For every change, another world is created, I'm not destroying worlds or changing their timelines, I'm creating new worlds."

"But why did you attack my world?" Georgia asked, preparing herself for another attack. "Why did you throw my son into another reality, why…"

"Did I play with you like a toy? I did it because you were such an easy target for me," Lauren laughed. "You walked the line between good and bad, activism and pacifism, I wanted to try and push you out of your comfort zone, and to strain the perfect world you had wrapped yourself in."

"You stupid, ignorant, selfish bitch! You're deluded if you think that you're not changing timelines, you're only making the cracks worse!" Georgia roared, moving in to charge again, but this time expecting the dodge.

As Lauren dodged the obvious left hook, Georgia detached her arm and fired it backwards, its elbow then smashed into Lauren's jaw, dislocating it with a sickening crack.

"You're a whore!" Lauren slurred, her jaw hanging out of place. "I have only one lover, you have three."

"I have two! And I love both of them equally; it is why I share my power with them." Georgia said, as Lauren clicked her jaw back into place. "You have one who you 'made better', and I'm guessing she's a shadow of her former self."

"And you'd be wrong," Lauren laughed, picking up Georgia's detached arm and inspecting it. "But you on the other hand ARE a shadow of who you were, there's very little of the real Georgia Shepard left."

Georgia tapped her left shoulder and the arm flew back into place. She flexed the limb before Lauren came in with a flurry of punches and kicks.

"You think I'm weak because I share power?" Georgia asked, drawing on two familiar forms to aid her. "You think that sharing this power makes me weak?"

"Of course it does, you should wield all power as I do, no one should be your equal as goddess," Lauren boasted. "Most human religions know that there can only be ONE divine power."

"Tell that to the Ancient Greeks and Romans, they had a better idea," Georgia smiled, feeling her power growing again. "Sharing power means I can watch over more than I could on my own, or in this instance, outnumber a bitch three-to-one."

At this, Samara and Miranda appeared at Georgia's side.

"Ladies, this is the bitch who screwed with us, would you help me make her suffer?" Georgia asked Miranda.

"You took my son from me!" Miranda roared, leaping forward and smashing Lauren across the face with a biotic right hook.

"Not you Samara my love, I need you to do something far more important," Georgia said stopping the Justicar from attacking.

"Anything for you my love," Samara smiled.

"Go to Lauren's reality, and shatter the 'faith' people have in her, without going to the lengths she did to us," Georgia instructed. "We do not need to be so harsh, but you will need to tap into your past."

"For you, my love, I will do what must be done," Samara said, her glowing gold eyes narrowing.

She watched Samara disappear from Zoe's reality, and prayed that this would cripple Lauren, who was still fighting Miranda.

"You're only a fraction of me slut," Lauren laughed, choking Miranda with one hand. "Were I not more interested in ending your pathetic lives, I'd make you like MY Miranda, a submissive, devoted wife who does everything I ask, no matter how malicious."

"I'm not your Miranda!" She spat, kicking Lauren in the leg and backing away. "I'm not going to let you walk over me, and you're alone against two pissed off Shepards."

'Keep her distracted, I am attempting to seal off the other realities she is feeding off off,' the man whispered in her ear. 'I'm guiding your bondmate to attack where your nemesis is most vulnerable, once she is done I will return her to your reality.'

She summoned her tech armour to block every attack, which only infuriated Lauren further. Every blow she made against Georgia impacted against the armour, burning her temporarily before her skin healed. Miranda waited for the opportune moment, learning her pattern before acting. As Georgia blocked the next attack and pushed Lauren back, Miranda grabbed her enemy by the shoulders and threw her from the reality, back into the void. Miranda took Georgia's hand as they followed her to the void.

"Look at the damage you've spread across the realities!" Georgia yelled, appearing behind Lauren, her power tapping into the void and bringing the cracks to the surface again. "You say you've created worlds, where are they? All I see is damage to the fabric of existence, and you are the primary cause. And we're not the only people you've pissed off!"

She pulled out a victim from one of the realities Lauren had messed with, and watched as the powerful red-haired woman tackled her tormentor into another affected reality.

'Clever move, this conflict has weakened her, I've returned the woman to her reality, and in the conflict, managed to undo what Lauren had done to her.' The man said quickly. 'The world they fell into is taking a lot more work to fix.'

"Who the hell was that?" Miranda asked.

"A Widow from a reality of wondrous Marvels, and the reality they fell into is quite fantastic and dominated my fantasy creatures from myth and legend." Georgia said quickly. "I hope that was enough to give Samara some time."

"Where is she?" Miranda asked.

"Breaking the faith people have for Lauren in her reality," Georgia smiled. "Though I told her not to go as far as Lauren did, as you saw the walls of reality have been weakened by Lauren's meddling, we should not make things worse."

"A wise move Geo," Miranda smiled, before a familiar laugh alerted them to the return of their enemy.

"These cracks existed long before I visited the first reality outside of my own," Lauren laughed. "They are a result of the first visitor to the void, not me!"

"But were they this severe?" Georgia asked, and this made Lauren hesitate.

Georgia acted on the hesitation and struck, firing her left arm at Lauren's chest, the omni-blade activating as it flew through the air. Lauren's scream echoed through the void, Georgia's right arm impaled through her chest, and Miranda quickly delivered a right hook to distract her from recovering.

"You have threatened everyone, for nothing more than your own selfish greed!" she yelled, punching Lauren repeatedly across the face with her right arm. "All your bravado doesn't mean shit, you're a bully, and you're not 'big' for lording over those below you!"

"It is done," Samara said softly from behind Georgia. "They have lost faith in their 'Shepard'."

"Asari whore!" Lauren spat.

Samara kneed Lauren in the stomach with all her weight, driving the wind out of her completely, and forcing her to double over. Miranda quickly copied Samara, her knee smashing into Lauren's face, cracking her skull and dislocating her jaw again.

"You're no longer human!" Lauren spat, blood flowing from her wounds.

Samara and Miranda picked Lauren up by both arms, restraining her as Georgia moved closer.

"I'm more human than you," she said coldly. "Your humanity is in pieces, symbolised by the cracked skin that covers your wretched form. I may be missing parts of me physically, but I'm still human deep down. All that is left inside you is rage, greed, lust for power, and a selfish need to be better than everyone else. These desires have stripped you of what little humanity you had, and now you're a shell of a being, a void in a cracked human form, and I pity you."

"Pity is for the weak," Lauren laughed, trying to get to her feet, but Georgia kept her down.

"Pity is a human trait," Miranda replied.

"We ascended…" Lauren spat blood. "Your slut and your whore are not worthy..."

"But we kept our mortal forms, our human souls," Georgia interrupted. "Just because we were blessed with these gifts, does not mean we can dispense with our humanity."

'She's weak, her power is completely dispelled. Send her back and the breaches will begin to heal,' the man whispered.

"And now I strip you of your 'power' and send you back to live with what you've done," Georgia said, picking Lauren up with her power, and throwing her into the nearest breach, retracting her arm at the last moment.

"Is it done?" she breathed, flexing her limbs as she returned to floating in the void. "And why was I suddenly able to see, and experience gravity?"

"That was a side effect of the bleeding worlds, but as you can tell it has quickly faded away," he explained. "And yes, your part in this tale is over."

"After I retrieve my son I'll return home, and not before," she cut in.

"Wait, what the hell are you talking about?" Miranda asked, completely confused by what they were talking about. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'll explain everything when I return, for now go home, make sure there's no lasting damage." Georgia said cupping Miranda's cheek. "I will find our son."

"I know, I'll see you soon," Miranda said, giving Georgia a quick kiss, before she faded from the void.

"I wish you luck with your future, and ask that you remember what you learnt from your dark counterpart," he smiled, or at least, she thought he smiled. "All power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely."

"I know, and thank you for your help; I would have been lost without it," she replied.

"It was my pleasure," he said simply, as she felt herself moving away from him. "May the Force be with you."

That comment made her entire day, and she would have revelled in it more, but her son needed her, and that took precedent.

-AN-

_I apologise for the increasing delays between chapters, but the end is within reach, and I am determined to get the series finished._


	32. One Final Effort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to bring John home from the Halo reality, but he's not going alone

Chapter 32: One Final Effort.

Georgia opened her eyes to fairly familiar surroundings, a Human ship in orbit over Earth, and technology that was not to dissimilar to her own. Her mind was immediately overwhelmed by the unfamiliar reality, and she quickly shut most of it out, but revelled in the history of the human race in this reality compared to her own. Her revelry was distracted by a door sliding open behind her, and the sounds of heavy boots on the metallic floor. But what made her heart lift was one word, undoubtedly from the individual now standing behind her in the large viewing gallery.

"Mum?"

She turned to see her own son, in his familiar olive armour, towering over her.

Despite the helmet hiding his face, she could tell he was surprised to see her again, and she felt a pang deep down knowing she was to blame for that feeling in him.

"It's me John, I've come to take you home," She said, caressing the cheek of his helmet.

"But you said..." He began, but she cut him off.

"I was tricked, I'm so sorry, but the bitch is gone now," she said, trying to maintain a smile despite the pain she'd undoubtedly caused him.

"Mum... It's been four years," he began, walking past her to look out across Earth's atmosphere below them. "Everything's changed."

"What do you... I didn't realise how much time would lapse... What's happened?" She said, moving to stand at his side.

She reached up to put a hand on his shoulder, wanting to comfort him for whatever was upsetting him. As her hand came to rest on his shoulder, and a piece of an alien ship wreckage floated past the window, John spoke.

"Cortana's dead."

"John I'm so sorry I didn't get here sooner," Georgia said, immediately hugging her son, hoping he could feel it beneath his armour.

"Can you... Could you..." He began, unsure how to phrase his request. "Can you bring her back to your..."

"Our home, John, it's our home," she corrected him. "This shell isn't you, in your heart you're my son, and that's something this reality has never changed."

"Can she come home with me?" he asked, sounding almost like a child again. "I.."

"I know she's always been there for you John, and I... I will do what I can for my son," She smiled. "Hold still."

John stood at ease, as Georgia reached up to touch his temple. As her fingers touched his helmet, her mind followed the source of her son's emotional pain back through his timeline, to the final confrontation between John and the Didact.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Georgia appeared in the final moments between the Didact of the former Forerunner Empire, and Sierra 117, floating out of time from the event so as to bear witness and not interfere until the right moment.

"You persist too long after your own defeat." The Didact mocked John, before floating down from on high. "Come then Warrior. Have your resolution."

John wheeled around, on guard against the Didact. But when he moved to aim his gun, the Didact threw John back with some unknown power, causing the miniature nuke to detach from his armour and skid a few feet away from him. John braced himself, and immediately ran towards the nuke, but the Didact picked him up with the technological supremacy he had over Georgia's son. Lifting him up.

"So misguided," he stated cruelly, revealing his face to John. "Humanity's imprisonment is a kindness."

He held John over the precipice, and Georgia quickly realised he was holding him up by some control over his armour. Suddenly the light bridge flickered, and multiple Cortanas rose from the energy around The Didact, distracting him from killing John.

"In that case, you won't mind if we return the favour," Cortana stated.

"Your compassion for mankind is misplaced," The Didact stated, clearly trying to win Cortana over to his side.

"I'm not doing this for mankind," she replied, before her duplicates leapt at the Didact.

Using some of her rapidly depleting energy, Cortana pinned The Didact in place on the Light Bridge, forcing him to drop John.

Georgia watched as her son clung on to the edge of the light bridge, before slowly, painstakingly pulling himself up and grabbing an orange and black grenade from his belt.

John charged the Didact as he managed to break free of the rampant Cortana's hold, who quickly smacked John away, before lifting him up his advantageous power. Before the Didact could drop John into the Composer's beam, the orange grenade that John had attached to the Didact exploded. The Didact dropped John again, and fell backwards off the bridge, into the disintegrating beam he had been trying to kill John with. John was again forced to cling on to the edge of the bridge, but without the threat of the Didact, he managed to recover and arm the nuke before activating it.

Georgia was momentarily blinded by the explosion, and were it not for the knowledge of hindsight, she would have thought her son killed in the blast. When her vision recovered she saw her son suspended in a blue ball of energy, floating in the vacuum of space. She watched as John slowly got to his feet, and immediately recognised the blue energy as Cortana's.

"Cortana." John said uncertainly. "Cortana, do you read? Cortana, come in."

Slowly Cortana stepped out from the blue energy, but she was now the size of a normal human, and this clearly surprised John when he turned to face her.

"How?" he said hesitantly.

"Oh, I'm the strangest things you've seen all day?" She chuckled.

"But if we're here..." John said, thinking aloud as he pieced everything together, and as always Cortana was there to help clear things up for him.

"It worked." She stated. "You did it. Just like we always do."

"So how do we get out of here?" He asked, looking around for an exit, but Cortana lowered her head.

"I'm not coming with you this time." She said slowly, looking straight into his eyes.

"What?"

"Most of me is down there." She said, looking down at the Earth below them. "I only held enough back to get you off the ship."

"No. That's not-! We go together." John stammered, rejecting the idea of losing her.

"It's already done." She said with a sad smile, clearly aware of how he was feeling.

"I am not leaving you here!" he stated, trying to hold his ground and fight what was happening to the one person he cared about in this reality.

"John..." Cortana breathed. She took a step forward and touched his olive breastplate, smiling as she made contact with the cold, scarred metal. "I've waited so long to do that."

"It was my job to take care of you." He said, unable to look her in the eyes.

Georgia realised they were both fighting back tears, and she quickly found herself in a similar situation.

"We were supposed to take care of each other." She corrected him, making him look at her again. "And we did."

"Cortana- please..." He said, again averting his eyes and fighting back his raw emotions.

Cortana took one final look at the man in armour before her, seeing the man beneath emotionally broken by the thought of losing her. She took a breath, before slowly walking backwards away from him.

"Wait..." He said, not wanting her to leave, and this tender moment between them to end.

"Welcome home, John." Cortana said, stepping back into the wall of energy as she and the ball faded away.

While John's body floated in the vacuum of space, Georgia acted to save the last remnants of Cortana, reaching out to clasp the energy with her supernatural power. As she clasped the fading remains of her son's favourite AI companion, she poured a fraction of her power into restoring Cortana, leaving a fragment in John's AI chip to restore her in this reality. This gave her an idea of how to bring her son home, yet leave the Master Chief behind in his reality.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When she returned to her body, standing in front of her son on-board the UNSC Infinity, she found tears stinging her face.

"Mum!" He said, immediately moving to brush away her tears. "What happened?"

"I did it. I saved her, and now I have to save you," Georgia said holding his hand against her cheek.

"What... How will you..." He said, clearly both excited and scared of finally going home.

"Hush now, you'll be with your brother and sister soon," she said, holding his mask with both her hands before beginning to summon her power around them.

She destroyed her mortal form in an instant, and as she left the UNSC Infinity and this Earth far behind, she took what made her son, her son. She left behind the Master Chief and his history, fabricating the real history of the orphan hero from what others had fabricated, which allowed her to fully separate John Shepard III from John Sierra 117.

-AN-

_I apologise for the increasing delay, this was originally due to an increased workload and an unclear end for this story. But just as I finally envisioned a finale, the memory stick that held Sierra Shepard and many of my other fanfics-in-progress, malfunctioned._

_I am hurriedly re-writing the ending for this fanfic, whilst attempting to recover what I've lost, but at the moment its slow work. I will update my profile with more information if and when it's available._

_Again I apologise for the delays._

_NilioJ13._


	33. You Win Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victory comes at a cost

Chapter 33: You Win Again.

Georgia floated in the familiar darkness for some time, before one sound snapped her back to her reality, the sound of her son crying. She opened her eyes to see her crew huddled around her, all looking completely stunned. In her arms was her long lost son, now returned to his infantile state, which was who he truly was in her reality.

"You... You did it!" Ash stammered, before doing the sign of the cross with her right hand.

"Move!" Miranda commanded, and the crew immediately parted to let her pass. "John!"

Miranda cradled John in her arms, smiling joyously at the return of her son, while Samara helped Georgia to her feet.

"Is it done? Are we safe?" Samantha asked cautiously.

"The bitch has been stripped of her divinity and thrown back into the reality she ruined," Samara said, surprising everyone with her casual cursing. "I apologise for such foul language, but my beloved asked me to tap into my past, and it has had some unusual effects."

"I kinda like it," Miranda and Georgia said in unison.

"Then I shall endeavour to curse more for you two," Samara smiled.

"So... no more extra-dimensional visitors?" Liara asked, her arm around Aria's waist. "We're finally at peace?"

"Peace is relative my dear," Aria stated. "Some consider the presence of crime as preventing peace, although those people are fools."

"Crime is necessary," Liara replied. "It keeps things interesting."

"Well, not including crime sprees, yes we are at peace." Georgia summarised. "But... you do realise what that means for us, right?"

"We finally get to relax?" Morinth said hopefully.

"Yeah, I thought the Reaper War would bring about a peaceful era, yet we've still fought on several occasions." Jack complained.

"You're complaining? I thought you loved violence?" Falare asked.

"I do, but I do like to relax as well," Jack said, leaning back and putting her hands behind her head. "I often prefer doing nothing to violence, much less effort."

"Good to know," Georgia chuckled.

"So that's it? Wars over, we won, you're the big hero, again?" Samantha asked, wanting to make sure she wasn't misunderstanding the path of their conversation. "Now we get to live the rest of our lives how we want?"

"That's very accurate Sam, yes." Samara replied. "We have saved the universe from numerous great evils, and now we can enjoy the fruits of our labour."

"But, it does mean that we can retire from military service, and lead the lives we want to..." Georgia began, before her Samantha and Diana cut in.

"How are you planning to tell the galaxy?" they asked.

"Might I suggest a press conference instead of another chat show?" Diana recommended.

"Get on it then Di," Georgia replied, and Diana quickly hurried off toward the lift, with Samantha in hot pursuit.

"Geo, does this mean the end of the Cult of Shepard?" Tali asked. "Of us?"

"In a sense," Geo said sorrowfully. "It does not mean that we'll never see each other again, but there's nothing tying you to staying on the Normandy."

"But what if we..." Tali asked, but Georgia interrupted her.

"If you want to stay that's fine, but there's nothing keeping you here." Georgia said, knowing Tali's query before she asked it.

"Thank the goddess, I'm sick of this claustrophobic ship!" Aria exasperated. "I've been away from Omega for too long."

"Well at least here you don't have criminals trying to kill you on a regular basis," Liara remarked. "Besides, Tevos has stepped down as the Asari Council member, I'm expected to take her place within the week."

"Sucks for you Aria, such a prestigious position would require Liara to relocate to the Citadel, not Omega." Falare laughed.

"Well I won't be around long enough to suffer a long stay on the Citadel," Aria retorted, but her remark clearly upset Liara.

Miranda gave Georgia and Samara a sly look, and the three of them silently agreed, giving Aria a few more years with Liara, without consulting either of them.

"The rest of you can talk among yourselves what you're going to do from here, but I think I speak for myself, Miri and Samara, when I say that we'll be settling down somewhere quiet." Georgia said quickly, noting that Samara and Miranda were nodding slightly. "But all this extra-dimensional travel has left me exhausted."

"Naturally Geo, and I can tell that you're not alone in feeling exhausted," John Senior chuckled, leaning heavily on his morphine drip.

Georgia knew he was tired as well, but that he was talking about Samara and Miranda, who had also travelled outside their reality.

"Karin, could you take my father down to the medbay," Georgia asked, as she, Samara and Miranda gathered by the lift.

"Of course Georgia, he only insisted he stayed here until you returned," Karin said, letting John rest his weight on her, as she led him to the lift.

"Night Geo, we'll talk more in the morning," John smiled as he passed them before entering the lift. "Don't stay up too late." He chuckled.

Georgia sighed, even when he was growing weaker, he continued to make jokes. After John and Karin descended down to the medbay, Georgia, Samara, and Miranda took the lift up to their quarters, passing Di and Sam arguing loudly.

"Well, we did it," Miranda said, putting John III in his crib, and smiling at seeing the triplets united once more. "Our son is home, the walls of reality are sealed, and no one is toying with our futures now, we decide our own fates."

"Fate?" Samara asked. "Do divine beings have to worry about fate?"

"We decide our own fate, I think we've all seen that's the truth," Georgia smiled, removing her top before staring at her metal arm. "If fate had its way, I wouldn't be here."

"I've been meaning to ask, why don't you heal yourself now that you're divine?" Samara asked, caressing her lover's metal arm delicately. "Not that it would change how I feel about you, but it's..."

"I've grown rather attached to my new limbs, forgive the pun, plus Miri spent so much time making them perfect," Georgia explained. "Three metal limbs from Miranda to me, and..."

"Cute," Miranda said, knowing where her wife was going. "I've got a more interesting question Geo."

"Shoot," Georgia said, standing up to help Samara undress.

"Why don't we make Samara our wife, instead of YOUR lover, YOUR bondmate," Miranda asked.

"My relationship with my beloved is a secret to most of the galaxy, a wedding would make it public knowledge," Samara replied, smiling seductively at Georgia as she was undressed.

"What if we make it a secret wedding," Miranda suggested.

"I don't see why not," Georgia mused on the idea before agreeing. "Samara?"

"I would be honoured to be your wife," she blushed as she was laid bare, physically and emotionally. "Wife to both of you, a triumvirate of powerful divine beauties."

"A triumvirate? How antiquated," Miranda chuckled, as Georgia turned her attention to undressing her wife.

After she had undressed both Samara and Miranda, her beloved then took their time in undressing her, until the three goddesses stood naked before each other.

"Whatever shall we do now?" Samara said coyly.

"I think there's only one option open my loves," Miranda replied.

"Sleep?" Georgia suggested, knowing that was not the answer.

"Not yet my love," Samara purred, shifting into her past life with ease. "We ought to consumate this triumvirate."

Samara took a step forward, but before she could kiss Georgia, there was a knock at the door. Georgia opened the door with a thought, and Ashley walked in, immediately realising what she had interrupted.

"Oh Skipper... I'm sorry... I just..." Ash stammered, tearing her eyes away from the three naked personifications of womanly perfection.

"Speak your mind Ash, don't be ashamed of bursting in," Georgia said softly.

"Okay," Ash said, her eyes staying focused on their faces, not wandering any lower. "I came to ask Samara something."

"You may ask your question in front of us my dear, we do not hide anything from each other as you can see," Samara said softly, spotting Miranda and Georgia smirking slightly.

"I was wondering if... I had your blessing... goddess this is silly..." Ash said, suddenly realising she was asking a goddess for a blessing. "Do I have your blessing... to make Falare my wife."

Georgia and Miranda knew this custom all-too-well, but it was clear despite all her studies, she had never learnt about asking the father of the bride-to-be for their blessing, or more likely, never thought she'd be asked.

"I am truly happy that you and my Falare have found happiness with each other, and of course you have my blessing Ash," Samara said, striding over to put her hand on Ash's shoulder. "I hope you two have an eternity of happiness together."

Ash meanwhile was now fighting the urge to check out her future mother-in-law.

"I look forward to thinking of you as my daughter too," Samara whispered, and Ash blushed.

"Thank you, Thank you so much Samara," Ash said quickly, taking several steps backwards towards the door. "I... I'll leave you three alone!"

"Good night Ash," the trio said in unison, further making Ash hurry out of the room.

"Now then, where were we?" Samara growled, turning to look at Georgia, as the door into their quarters locked.


	34. The Circle of Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Georgia witnesses conception, marriage & death

Chapter 34: The Circle of Life.

Georgia lay awake after the most incredible threesome she'd ever experienced, both personally and through her beloved. But that wasn't what was keeping her awake, it was memories of her time facing her corrupted alternate self.

'It was perfect for me, true, but that just made it boring after a week,' Lauren had stated. 'I had messed around with it in every conceivable way by the end of the first month.'

"How can I avoid her fate," she mused aloud.

"Is something wrong Geo?" Miri asked, slowly stirring after hearing her wife speaking.

"How can I not fall into the same fate as that bitch?" she asked her wife, knowing she would get an honest answer from the straight-forward thinking Miranda Shepard.

"What do you mean?" Miranda asked.

"How can I not become a dictator-like goddess, like that bitch did?" Georgia asked, immediately waking Samara on her right. "Sorry for waking both of you."

"It's okay my love, if something is troubling you then we will always be here to help," Samara said softly.

"I'm just wanting to avoid turning into either Lauren or Zoe, both polar opposites, and both are potential futures unless I act now," Georgia said, voicing the concerns that plagued her mind.

"They didn't have us," Miranda said brightly. "They were alone in their divinity, and therefore had no guides to keep them on the right path."

"But what is the right path when we have so much power? We pretty much decide what's right from wrong," Georgia exclaimed.

"You know that's not true," Samara scalded her. "You know in your heart what is right from wrong, that is not the issue."

"Then what is the issue I'm facing?" Georgia asked.

"You're worried that the power you hold will corrupt you into being like them," Samara stated.

"Then what do I do?" Georgia asked, staring into her Asari bondmate's eyes.

"I believe that you... or more appropriately... we, should..." Samara said.

At first Georgia believed she was pausing to think of how she would phrase her opinions, but it quickly became apparent something else was causing her hesitations. Before either human could ask, Samara leapt out of the bed and dashed for the bathroom.

"What's happened to her?" Miranda asked, sliding out of the bed to follow, as they both could hear the almost unnatural sound of Samara retching over the toilet.

Georgia's mind quickly remembered the last time she had seen such symptoms in someone she loved, and her eyes darted from Miranda, to her triplets, to the open bathroom door. Her mind settled on this as the cause, but immediately noted the problem, they had only just had sex a few hours before, and these symptoms had appeared too early for pregnancy to be the cause.

Geo! What's happened to Samara?" Miranda asked again, before realising that Geo was working it out as fast as she could.

Her mind darted to the Sierra reality, and suddenly the pieces fitted into place, and she couldn't help but smile.

"Of course," she breathed, as Samara leant against the bathroom door.

"What can make a divine being feel so nauseous?" She breathed, taking in deep gulps of air.

"Something that is unnatural even for a divine woman like you," Georgia replied. "Accelerated pregnancy."

"What?" Miranda and Samara exclaimed.

"Let me tell you what happened when I rescued John, it ought to shed light on this bizarre reason for you feeling so unwell Samara," Georgia said slowly. "When I arrived in that Halo reality..."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"... So I carried both John and the copy of Cortana back to this reality," Georgia finished.

"You cannot copy an AI," EDI stated.

"Not conventionally, no... But I'm not exactly conventional." Georgia chuckled.

"I don't understand, how has that resulted in Samara being preg... oh..." Miranda began, before her mind caught up to Georgia's. "That clever little..."

"Yes my dear. Whether by choice or accident, Cortana was transferred from me to Samara during our lovemaking," Georgia said bluntly, making Samara place a hand on her stomach and smile. "Are you alright Samara?"

"I couldn't be happier," Samara breathed.

"I wouldn't be surprised if she'll be a child genius when she's born," Miranda admitted.

"What did you mean by 'accelerated pregnancy'?" Samara asked, moving to sit on the bed.

Georgia's eyes turned to Samara's bare stomach, and tapping into her divine power, she looked through Samara's body to see the foetus in her womb.

"I believe that because I brought AI Cortana back from the Halo reality, and transferred it to you through our passionate sex, the foetus grew to match her already formed consciousness."

"Does that mean she won't be pregnant for nine months?" Miranda asked.

"I'm thinking she'll only be pregnant for eight months; that seems most likely as the foetus hasn't grown much in size."

"Do you enjoy staring into my core my love?" Samara purred.

"Maybe, but I think we should return to our rest," Georgia yawned, lying down in the middle of the bed. "We've got a wedding in our immediate futures."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_One week later..._

"... I now pronounce you to be married in the eyes of Athame, you may now kiss your wife," Samara said loudly, before smiling joyously as she watched Falare and Ashley kiss, with the latter wrapping her arms around her betrothed.

Ash and Falare hugged each other tightly, their lips pressed together in a display of passion and lust. Samara's eyes glanced to Miranda and Georgia in the front row, her smile growing at seeing them smiling at her. After a good minute of passionate kissing, Falare and Ash held hands and walked back down the aisle toward the doors.

"All rise for the Williams newlyweds!" Georgia commanded, and the crowd instantly obeyed.

"Williams?" Miranda muttered.

"Falare's idea, not mine." Georgia said quickly.

"And here I thought the Williams' were all rather racist after the First Contact War," John commented, moving to stand beside his daughter, leaning heavily on his cane and morphine drip. "You really rubbed off on her if she's married an Asari."

"Dad!" Georgia exclaimed, noting there were several concerned looks. "Please don't spoil the mood."

"I wouldn't dream of... *cough*... it." He chuckled. "I'm just being honest and open on this important day."

"Dad? Are you okay?" Georgia asked, noting he was leaning on his cane more and more.

"I'm old Geo, that's what's wrong," he chuckled. "My glory days were so brief, and now I'm in the twilight of my... life..."

He doubled over and wretched, blood spattering on the floor, and Georgia immediately looked to Samara and Miranda for help.

"Let's get you to Karin and Chloe, they'll tell us what's really going on," Miranda said, taking John's right arm as Georgia supported his left, Samara gently taking the cane from her beloved's father.

"You goddesses can't just blink and know what's wrong?" he coughed.

"I could dad, but I don't want to disrespect your privacy," Georgia replied. "Plus I'm a soldier like you, I'm not as well versed on human anatomy, other than where to shoot to kill, and where to..."

"We get the idea Geo," Miranda interrupted. "We want to get a professional opinion John, that's all."

"Alright... But please call me dad, Miri, John is so odd coming from my daughter-in-law." John said brightly, before again coughing blood. "You too Samara."

"Of course" Samara said curtly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Georgia clasped her father's hand as the doctors explained the situation to her, and she felt Miranda and Samara standing at her side through all of the turmoil she was going through.

"I'm sorry General, but in summary your father is dying," Chloe summarised.

"How long?" She asked, fighting back her emotions and tears, feeling her father squeeze her hand for comfort.

"A day... Maybe two," Chloe began, but Karin cut in.

"You're lucky you spotted the symptoms so soon, any longer and we may not have had such a warning," Karin said optimistically.

"I can save you!" Georgia said, looking into her father's eyes. "I can make you better, let you relive your glory days."

"Don't you dare!" He said sternly.

"Geo, this desire to have everything around you perfect is what led that bitch down her dark path," Miranda said softly, putting her hand on Georgia's shoulder.

"A wise woman once said that; 'The universe has to move forward. Pain and loss, they define us as much as happiness or love. Whether it's a world, or a relationship... Everything has its time. And everything ends.'" Samara said softly.

"Well said," John chuckled. "I didn't realise Asari were Whovians?"

"I dabbled," Samara stated.

"Don't hold on to the past Geo, it's time to look forward," John said, looking into his daughter's glowing gold eyes. "You don't need your father around anymore, it's time for you to take that mantle with your children, and be the hero to them, that I was to you when you were young."

"But why not be their wise old grandad..." Georgia asked, her emotions causing her to pause and compose herself as best she could. "Telling them stories of before their mother was born."

"I'm sure they'll manage without," he coughed. "Samara, could you do something for me?"

"Anything," Samara smiled.

"Could I see my wife again?" he smiled, and Samara obliged.

"Hello John," Hannah's ghostly visage said, appearing on the opposite side of the bed to Georgia, Miranda and Samara. "It's been a long time."

"Miss me?" John smirked.

"Every day," Hannah breathed, her ghostly hand caressing John's cheek as a tear rolled down it. "I never gave up hope in seeing you again."

"Nor did I," John smiled.

He tried to raise his hand to touch her, but he found it incredibly difficult to even lift his hand. Georgia clasped his hand tighter.

"We will leave you alone," Karin said, before she and Chloe hurried from the room.

"This isn't how I imagined dying, especially during those years in exile," John said, looking from his ghostly wife, to his daughter, and daughters-in-law. "But I couldn't ask for anything better."

There was a moment's silence, before Hannah spoke up.

"Do you remember our first date?" she asked, and John's face brightened.

"I've never forgotten it," he beamed. "You were so beautiful in that navy blue dress, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven."

"Yet you weren't the one to get the ball rolling, were you?" Hannah chuckled.

"I... I was nervous you'd say no," John said, suddenly reliving that nervous moment. "You came up to me at that ceremony's after-party, after we'd only spoken once or twice."

"That ceremony? You mean our graduation from military school?" Hannah laughed. "I came up to you and asked you to dance, because you were too scared."

Georgia had never heard this story, and was fascinated by it, learning that her father was not completely without fear, and that she was definitely the daughter of Hannah Shepard. But she suddenly realised what was about to happen, and immediately felt Samara and Miranda kneeling down to hold her in their arms.

"You held out your hand and said..." John smiled, remembering the moment vividly.

"Come on, don't be scared," Hannah whispered, holding out her hand, and John slowly raised his. "I'll be right with you all the way."

As John's hand touched Hannah's spectral hand, there was a brief flash, before John's hand dropped to his side, his eyes slowly closing, as Hannah's ghost faded away. Georgia cautiously got to her feet and felt her father's neck, and knew that it was done.

Her father was gone.


	35. O Children

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Cult of Shepard says its last good byes

Chapter 35: O Children.

The unusually warm and sunny summer that had pervaded the ancient city of London, came to a tragic end the day John Shepard returned to Earth to be laid to rest. The cold September rain poured down, soaking the thousands who lined procession from John's birthplace in Camden Town, to his final resting place in St Pauls Cathedral. The British Parliament had bestowed him the honour of being laid to rest in St Pauls, the first person to be buried there in centuries, and Georgia's heart lightened knowing her father would rest there with other great military figures, including Lord Horatio Nelson and the Duke of Wellington.

"It had to end today, didn't it?" Steven Hackett muttered, as they stood outside the cathedral's West Doorway, watching the twenty-one gun salute take place in the pouring rain. "Two months of near spotless weather ends on a down note."

"Dad would think it improper for it not to rain on the day of his funeral," Georgia smiled sadly. "He'd say that any other weather wouldn't be British enough for him. Besides, rain is suitable weather for the funeral of a war hero."

"I feel the public turnout and media interest is more aimed at you than your father," Steven said after the first seven shots.

"I know," she sighed, before the second round echoed against the surrounding buildings. "But I hope they're at least understanding of the situation, I may be a war hero, but so was my father, and he's gone."

"If anything this humanises you," Steven said, giving Georgia a knowing look. "You're a war hero, you faced inconceivable odds and beat them, but even you feel sadness when those close to you pass away."

"Thank you Steven, you've always been a good friend," she smiled, turning to look him in the eyes.

"Friends, compatriots, brothers-in-arms, though we never fought side by side, we always had each other's back," Steven said. "But you were the spearhead of the Reaper War, and not even death stopped you from finishing the fight."

"Well, she had a little help with that feat," Miranda said, stepping up to stand beside her wife as the final shots rang out. "But seeing you like this does humanise you Geo."

They fell silent as they heard Big Ben chime in the distance, another honour for the father of the galaxy's greatest hero.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After the all the pomp and ceremony was done, and the many guests had paid their respects and their best wishes to the Shepard family, Georgia stood beneath the great dome of St Pauls, staring at her father's coffin.

"Well you certainly outdid yourself Geo, St bloody Pauls," her father's ghost said, appearing beside his coffin, far younger and more youthful than Georgia had ever seen him. "Thank you, I'm honoured the Alliance bestowed this upon me when you're the bigger hero."

"When I die I cannot be buried or cremated and laid to rest," Georgia said thoughtfully. "So they might as well have all the pomp and ceremony for my father instead."

"Oh?" John said surprised. "Why not?"

"Because even when I'm dead, I'm still a high-value person," she explained. "When Alexander the Great died, his subordinates fought over his empire and his remains, resulting in multiple waring territories, and the great general's body being lost forever. When I die I fear my body will make an equally valuable prize, and threaten the peace I fought to create."

"So what will you decree?" John asked.

"For my body to be fired into the heart of the galaxy," she stated. "It'll burn up in the sun and leave nothing behind, except my legacy."

"And what about your divinity?"

"Only my crew and a select few others know I'm one of the three goddesses, and that's how it will stay." She said, looking up at the artwork that decorated the interior of the dome. "My heroics may be immortalised, but I don't want anyone to know about my divinity."

"Hold on a second," John said, noting a hole in his daughter's plans. "If you're planning to die at some point, yet keep your divinity, how the hell does a goddess die?"

"It may seem odd, but your passing gave me the solution to my problem," Georgia admitted.

"Glad I could be useful one last time," he chuckled. "How did you get this great solution from me kicking the bucket?"

"It was in your refusal to live longer, I finally realised the best way not to go insane with power like that bitch Lauren," Georgia smiled. "She went nuts because she got bored using her powers, she got bored because she stayed in her mortal form to 'rule' over her reality like a queen. If I wish to truly avoid her fate, I must live a mortal life, and return to being divine when I pass away."

"That's my girl," John smiled. "What will you do with your power, and will you ask Samara and Miranda to follow your lead?"

"We will always stay by Georgia's side," Samara said, climbing the steps from the crypt below, and quickly moving to stand beside her bondmate.

"Her reasoning is sound, and I personally cannot bare the idea of living forever, watching everyone I know and love die, while I do not age." Miranda added, following closely behind Samara, standing beside her wife.

"What will you do with all this power you're giving up?" John asked, smiling at seeing the trio holding hands.

"Store it somewhere safe," Georgia smiled, knowing exactly where she'd store their power. "Somewhere no one else will be able to access it."

"Well, don't me hold you back Geo, get out there and live your mortal life how you want," John said brightly. "Be the best damn 'father' to your children, and enjoy the spoils of war."

"I will dad, I promise," Georgia smiled, giving her ghostly father a hug before he disappeared.

"Where are we exactly storing our power that you feel is so secure?" Miranda asked immediately.

"Not where per se, but whom," Georgia smiled knowingly, leading her loves back toward the West Gate.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You wished to see me general?" EDI stated as she walked into Georgia's quarters one day after John Shepard's funeral.

"Yes, come in and make yourself comfortable," Georgia said brightly. "We don't have long before the party this evening."

"Indeed, some might say the timing is off, but..." EDI began, but Miranda cut her off.

"John wouldn't want us to mourn forever," she said, standing beside Georgia.

"Might I ask why you have summoned me?" EDI asked.

"Geo has decided to become mortal again, and live out her life before ascending to her divinity again after she passes on, and we have decided to follow her example." Samara explained, stepping out of the bathroom and standing beside Miranda. "And we feel there is no one better to contain our power than you, as Georgia believes you would never betray her."

"And she is correct," EDI smiled. "I owe her everything, and if she wishes to bless me with safeguarding her divine power until her death, then I shall do so with honour."

"Thank you EDI," Georgia smiled. "Samara, if you would go first, I have one last matter to take care of, a surprise of sorts."

"Of course my love." Samara bowed, before stepping closer to EDI.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What the hell?" was the general exclamation when Georgia, Miranda and Samara joined the party in the former CIC, everyone immediately noticing their glowing green eyes.

"Why are you hiding your divinity from us now?" Liara asked, being the first to approach the trio.

"We're not hiding, we're mortal again." Georgia said loudly for all to hear, being met by an audible gasp.

"Why?" Falare asked, her arm around Ash's waist.

"To avoid going insane with power like my alternate reality self," she replied.

"So all your power is up for grabs?" Jack said gleefully.

"Not quite," Miranda smirked.

At that moment EDI appeared in the middle of the CIC, her gold-lens glasses showing everyone she was the divine being in the room now.

"Clever, very clever," Jack laughed. "So... you're now vulnerable again?"

"Not entirely," Samara said knowingly. "You know EDI is loyal to Georgia, and with our combined power, she could protect Georgia from your murderous intentions, or even re-write your entire nature with just a thought."

"Good point," Jack remembered. "But you're mortal, how long you planning on living?"

"However long this tattered body will let me," Georgia said looking at her one metal arm, and the organic one with the metal fingers.

"And will mother outlive you?" Morinth asked.

"I doubt it my dear, none of us know for certain exactly how many years I sacrificed to save you, Falare and Ashley." Samara said, moving over to hug her daughter.

"Are you going to tell them or should we?" Miranda asked Samara, remembering the fact that had fallen to the wayside after John's passing.

"Tell us what?" Falare asked cautiously, fearing the worst after hearing her mother was mortal again.

"I'm pregnant," Samara smiled, causing the room to fall into stunned silence again.

"There's more," Georgia added. "When I brought John back from the Halo reality, I also brought Cortana, or a copy of her, back too. What little remained of her..."

"We get the picture, some of us more visibly than others," Ash interrupted. "So John III's AI from the other reality will now be his Asari step-sister in this reality?"

"Correct," the trio said in unison.

"Since we're in the mood for revealing big surprises," Kasumi piped up as the applause died down. "I have something to show all of you."

She moved over to the wall to the left of the lift, ripping away a cloth that had completely hidden a large frame.

"Found a new use for your stealth tech Kasumi?" Miranda asked.

"Yep, I've invented the invisibility cloak!" She said excitedly. "But I've been quietly working on this!"

She flipped it around to show a more grandiose version of the photo that had been displayed in Georgia's apartment on the old Citadel. It showed the Normandy crew, past and present, seated and standing around Georgia, with Samara and Miranda either side of the general. The crew members that were no longer with them seemed translucent, but still present in the painting.

"I didn't realise you were so artistic Kasumi," Karin smiled.

"I've had a bit of spare time, and I had to do something since I've turned legitimate," Kasumi said coolly, as if this feat was nothing to the galaxy's greatest thief.

"Well its wonderful Kasumi, thank you" Georgia said, walking over and hugging the thief.

"Really Shep, it was nothing," Kasumi blushed, deliberately pressing her crotch against Georgia's.

"I want a copy!" Morinth said suddenly, after inspecting every inch of the painting thoroughly.

"I only made one... sorry," Kasumi said nervously, pulling away from Georgia to face the former Ardat-Yakshi serial killer.

"Leave it to me," EDI said, her glasses flashing in the light before she approached the painting.

EDI carefully stood it up, and placing her hands as if she was about to open the painting in its frame like a book. As the layers separated, an identical version of the painting was created, leaving two identical paintings at EDI's feet. After a few minutes of repeating the action, EDI had created multiple copies of the painting, with some spares for the crew members not present at that time.

"Well, we've got our parting gift from the general, I guess there's only one thing left to do..." Ash said, as EDI lay the paintings one on top of the other against the wall.

"PARTY!" Jack yelled, and in the blink of an eye, the absent crew members were in their midst, and the CIC erupted into celebrations.

"You're really adjusting well to all this new power quickly," Georgia said, watching as the rest of her crew chatted eagerly amongst themselves, with more invited guests slowly joining the party.

"At first it was a little overwhelming, but my cybernetic enhancements are allowing me to manage the additional information," EDI stated. "I found it similar to Jeff unshackling me during the Collector attack, or first claiming this body from Dr Eva. At first there was a lot of new information, but I quickly adapted, as is my nature."

"And with that you're truly human," Georgia said, putting her arm around EDI's shoulder. "Congratulations."

"Thank you Georgia," EDI smiled, clearly overjoyed at being called 'human'. "I truly appreciate everything you've done for me, and I will endeavour to live up to your impressive standards."

"I think you will, but just remember we want our power back eventually," Georgia snickered.

"I know, I have exactly..."

"Please don't tell me how long I've got!" Georgia interrupted.

"Of course," EDI smirked, before moving away to talk to the other party guests.

"Shepard, may I ask you something..." Tali said nervously, tapping Georgia on the shoulder.

"Of course Tali," Georgia said softly.

"You remember when Miranda was pregnant, and she went away for a few months... and how she took precautions in case you got..." Tali said, becoming increasingly nervous.

"I remember Tali, please go on," Georgia encouraged her Quarian Mechanic to continue.

"She arranged that you and I would..." Tali continued, before hitting another conversational wall.

"What are you asking for Tali?" Georgia asked, realising the conversation made her uncomfortable, so getting to the point might be easier for her.

"Is that still necessary?" Tali spluttered.

"Do you want it to?" Georgia asked, surprised this matter had been on Tali's mind this entire time.

"I don't know..." Tali said after a slight pause. "You would be my first..."

"Well, if you want to, just ask," Georgia said, putting her hand on Tali's shoulder, looking into her bright green eyes. "But I have every confidence you'll find the 'one' soon, and it would be more special if they are your first..."

"Thank you Georgia!" Tali said excitedly, hugging her general tightly. "Thank you for everything!"

"No problem Tali, not go and enjoy the party," Georgia said softly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As the party began to wind down, Georgia tapped her glass with her metal index finger, getting everyone's attention.

"I think it's about time I made a speech, before we all get a bit too inebriated to get speak clearly and fluently." Georgia announced. "Especially as this will be the last time we're all gathered together like this, granted we will meet up every now and then, but there'll never be another event quite like this, so this is the appropriate time for this particular speech."

Everyone fell silent, their attention turning to the general at the centre of the room, all other conversations dying away until only silence remained.

"Five-ish years ago, on that fateful voyage to Eden Prime, I could have never anticipated any of this; the Reapers, the Collectors, the Leviathans, extra-dimensional visitors, Halos, any of it. But the one thing I am most surprised by, looking back on it all now, is the people I met along the way, and the relationships forged in the fires of war."

"I realise it sounds silly, to say that the people I met were more surprising than sentient machines intent on wiping out the most advanced civilisations every 'cycle' in a bizarre desire to maintain order, but I find it to be true. The Reapers may have killed me twice, but the relationships I forged in fighting them have endured longer than death, though that was with a little help."

Miranda smiled at the reference, and sly nod in her direction.

"But you've all become integral parts of my life, and I cannot imagine what it would have been like if I had not met any of you." She looked around the room at her friends and family, all smiling warmly at her. "And I know the feeling is mutual, as during our time together you have all grown beyond where you were when we met. Some of you were in dead-end jobs, others stuck in one path whether you liked it or not, and the rest of you were exposed to a much wider galaxy than you had previously known, and while I cannot take all the credit for these changes, I can say with some confidence that you changed me as much as I changed you."

Her eyes drifted to Garrus, Tali, Jack, Zaeed, Morinth, Ash and Kasumi, prime examples of what she had just mentioned, before her eyes turned to Miranda.

"But it goes without saying that the one person who had the biggest impact on my life is my darling wife Miranda." She held out a hand and Miranda stepped up to stand beside her. "Were it not for her efforts, I would not be here, and without her in my life, I would not have the family I have now, and the feeling that I've never been happier than I am with you."

The two kissed before Georgia turned to look at Samara.

"And a big, spiritual part of that family I now have also stems from my beautiful bondmate Samara," she held out her other hand and Samara stepped up to stand on her right side. "Her wisdom, experience and spiritual guidance, as well as her stedfast faith has brought a side to my life I never thought I needed, a sense of one-ness, and considering I've dabbled in the divine, I cannot deny that I would be a poor goddess without Samara at my side."

She and Samara kissed briefly, before Georgia turned her speech toward the inevitable finale.

"With them at my side, I have a family I love and care for, and a life before me that lies away from the battlefield, the war room or the QEC, and whilst this party is a celebration of another success in protecting the galaxy, it is also a grand ending for the Cult of Shepard, as from here we may go our separate ways."

She saw nervous looks being exchanged, and felt the uncomfortable silence trying to set in, and decided to end the speech with a toast.

"But we will not bid a fond farewell and never speak again, I have every faith our paths will cross again and again, whether by choice or happenstance, for I will certainly endeavour to make you all a part of my children's lives, and make them a small part of yours. But there is one thing we must never forget, and that is those wondrous times we spent together outside of the battlefield, getting to know one another, and slowly growing into a cohesive unit that beat back the tides of galactic genocide, for that is one thing that time cannot undo, no matter how far we drift apart after today!"

She could see her words beginning to raise her friends' spirits again.

"So I say let's hold our heads up high, and meet every coming day of galactic peace with the same confidence, bravado, and determination that we brought to every bitter day of the Reaper War, and more importantly I say," she raised her glass, seeing everyone follow her lead. "Here's to us!"

They all toasted to their unity, and Georgia strongly believed her speech would be enough to hold the 'Cult of Shepard' together for many decades to come.


	36. Never Surrender

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Shepard name lives on

Epilogue: Never Surrender.

_Many Years Later…_

Far above some outlying planet in the Athena Nebula, a man stood over a holographic map of the system, and the red and blue blinking lights that represented allied and enemy ships.

"This isn't looking good," The Commander stated, watching as the red dots pushed the blue back toward the planet his flagship was currently orbiting.

"You can say that again," a familiar blue hologram said from beside him. "They're really pressing us hard, and it's only because this attack came out of nowhere."

"Of course it was unexpected, this planet has no worth at any level," another hologram stated, standing to the left of the first hologram. "No minerals, no life of any kind, nor an atmosphere that can support their kind."

"Maybe that's why they've attacked our fleet here," the female hologram suggested. "They want to truly test us, and themselves, in the hostile environment."

"Test us? They want us dead, that's all they care about!" the second, male hologram exclaimed.

"Quiet brother, she's got a point," the commander stated, watching the allied ships being pushed nearer and nearer. "Let them have it."

"What?" the two advisors exclaimed.

"Let them land, it's clear they're winning in space combat," the commander said, as he picked up his olive helmet with its custom orange visor, and flexed his armoured shoulders. "If they want this planet then they will fight US on the planet's surface."

"You're serious, aren't you?" the woman asked.

"Always," he replied, clicking his helmet into place.

He watched the red dots moving past the blue, before disappearing when they entered the planet's hologram.

"All enemy ships have gone planet side sir," a private reported from a short distance away.

"Good," he said, moving for the door. "Call in reinforcements, surround the planet and ensure they cannot escape. If they want this planet so bad, then they'll earn it."

"We're on our way brother, save some of them for us," Admiral James Shepard stated, before his hologram faded away.

"Do you want me to join you?" Cortana asked, her hologram appearing above a small orb floating in front of the Commander.

"I'd be lost without you," he smiled behind his helmet. "I'll try to save some for you."

"Don't make a girl a promise…" Cortana smirked.

"I keep my promises," he replied. "See you planet-side."

"Not if I see you first big brother," Cortana smiled, before her hologram faded.

He was handed a rifle, pistol, and several grenades as he walked briskly toward the main hangar. He looked out of the hangar door as bombers took flight overhead, taking a deep breath before pulling a lever to his right. The floor opened, and he dropped out of the flagship, plummeting toward the planet surface in only his armour.

He hit the ground hard, the impact sending a shockwave out in all directions, and alerting the enemy to his arrival. He straightened up, and was immediately met by the enemy, the towering beast leaning over him, before letting out a bellowing roar.

"Demon!" The Yahg snarled. "Come to die?"

At this more Yahg appeared to flank the main one, outnumbering and surrounding the commander.

"Not today," he replied, activating his tech armour, which flashed into life and disorientated the Yahg.

With the beasts distracted, he grabbed his pistol and shot the eight nearest Yahg between the eyes, before numerous explosions on all sides signalled the arrival of his support. He ducked behind the dead beasts as gunfire erupted on all sides, most of it directed at him.

"Commander Shepard!" a private yelled, before a Batarian soldier knelt beside him.

"Status report!" Commander John Shepard III barked, peering over the dead Yahg to see where its compatriots were.

"We've got them pinned sir, they're not leaving the planet alive!" the private said excitedly, before a headshot made the Batarian's head explode.

"Neither are you demon!" a Yahg roared, hurling a grenade over the corpses John was hiding behind.

"Moth… Goddess protect me!" he muttered, before leaping back, away from the grenade before it exploded, ripping the dead bodies to pieces.

He cocked his rifle and charged the Yahg front line, seeing his allies following his lead on the suit's heads-up display. A roar overhead, and a shockwave of biotic energy clearing his path signalled the arrival of Cortana on the battlefield, and John glanced to his left to see her running at his side.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Georgia smiled, watching her children fighting the Yahg on a large table, with Samara and Miranda at her side.

"Like mother…" Samara smiled.

"Like sons and daughters, they're upholding the family name," Miranda finished Samara's sentence. "Though I'm more troubled by the Yahg, how the hell did they advance so suddenly?"

"A Reaper was killed by an exploding Mass Relay, and its corpse crashed on their homeworld," Georgia said, having learnt about the root of the Yahg uprising in an instance. "They weren't indoctrinated because of the synthesis, but they spent the past few decades learning from its remains, unbeknownst to the rest of the galaxy."

"But surely we would have known about their intentions, how did we not see this coming?" Miranda asked.

"The Yahg to don't worship any divinity, instead following a pack mentality and survival of the fittest," Samara explained. "Perhaps we were blind because we did not hear their prayers, a mistake I do not think we should ever repeat."

"Agreed," Georgia and Miranda said in unison.

"Should we help the Council races push the Yahg back to Parnack?" Georgia asked.

"Some assistance would be advised against a race that even gives the Krogan a run for their money," Miranda replied.

Georgia waved her hand, and the floating surface, upon which they had been viewing John III's heroism, turned bright white and descended into the floor. Their thoughts on the Yahg uprising were pushed to one side, as a familiar exclamation sounded from behind them.

"What the fuck?"

"Hello again Jack," Georgia smiled, hurrying over to hug her former-convict friend.

"Where the fuck am I?" Jack exclaimed, though she didn't shake off Georgia's embrace.

"The afterlife, or paradise as some would call it," Samara smiled, as Georgia moved to stand at her loves' sides again. "You're no longer bound to flesh and blood, you are ethereal and eternal."

"So… why are we still… us?" Jack asked.

"It's a part of us, even in death," Miranda said simply.

"And why are we… naked?" Jack asked her next question, glancing down before anger rose to the surface. "Where the fuck's my ink?"

"You see the afterlife how you want to see it Jack," Georgia explained. "If you want to see everyone naked, you'll see everyone naked. And about your ink, in death we are essentially born anew."

"Stop with the pious shit!" Jack snarled. "Where am I?"

"Look up," the triumvirate said in unison, having heard this question many times before.

Jack looked up, and her jaw dropped. The galaxy itself twinkled in the distance, the centrepiece in the eternally dark blue sky. Jack's eyes then turned toward the vast structure she seemed to be in the centre of. It was a vast structure, much bigger than the Citadel, with a large disc with eight arms reaching out on all sides.

"What the…" Jack stammered.

"In the Sierra reality it was called the Ark, a vast artificial structure that controlled the Halos, and could activate them all at once." Georgia revealed. "I copied it and brought it here, and it is now our paradise in the afterlife."

"Our?" Jack asked. "You lovebirds need something this big…"

"It's not just us here Jack," Miranda chuckled. "Most of the Normandy crew who passed on are here now, spending their days however they please."

"And now so can you. Days can pass like seconds, years like hours, time is infinite now." Samara said, gliding over to cup Jack's chin. "If you want to destroy, you can. If you want to play with life, you can."

"And if I want to fuck?" Jack smirked, eyeing Samara's bare breasts.

"You can," Samara growled, pulling Jack into a powerful kiss.

"Alright, what exactly happened to you? You got old true, but that wasn't you they shot into the central sun." Jack smirked. "You were nowhere near dying of old age, yet here you are in the 'afterlife'."

"It became clear that we weren't going to die in each other's arms, but we didn't want to live without the others," Samara explained.

"So we took the Normandy and flew away, leaving the mortal realm behind as we flew here." Miranda continued.

"So that's not the Normandy in the museum on Earth?" Jack asked.

"A clone, but not the original," Georgia smiled. "The original is here. "Jack, if you don't mind me asking; how did you die?"

"One of those beasts got me, tore me in half after I was surrounded by the bastards," Jack snarled, clearly pissed by how she died. "I'm just happy I died fighting, your son is quite the leader like you, he just doesn't give up, and I can't deny that I admire that trait."

"Never surrender," Miranda said simply, and Jack laughed.

"Well said cheerleader," Jack grinned.

"Never surrender." Georgia said, looking up at the galaxy overhead, her gold eyes twinkling.

FIN.

 _"_ _In War: Resolution,_  
In Defeat: Defiance,  
In Victory: Magnanimity  
In Peace: Good Will." Winston Churchill.

-AN-

_I apologise for the continued delays, but at last I have brought the Shepard Series to a suitable end, just in time for Halo 5. :P_

_The next story I intend to start posting is my Star Wars fanfic, again well-timed, which should be before the release of Episode VII._

_I want to thank you for being so patient with me, and hope you have enjoyed my writings._


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